Shiloh Forbs: Return to Mystic Falls
by Dani J. B
Summary: Season 2 of tvd, Shiloh style. Shiloh has an important choice to make, Damon has conflicting emotions, and Tyler goes to Shiloh for help. Longer chapters.
1. Chapter 1

A small smile tugged at the corner of Shiloh's lips as she stepped off the bus and into the busy city of New York. Casting a quick glance around, she managed to spot a familiar blond making her way towards Shiloh with an excited grin of her own. "Hey, Shy!"

"Hey, Lexi!" Shiloh greeted back, throwing her arms around the vampire.

"We have to get back to my place quick, the sun is almost up." Lexi observed, pulling out of the hug.

"Right, just let me grab my bags." Shiloh smiled. "I can't wait to see your place!"

"It's not that big, but we can fit you in the guest room." Lexi replied.

"_We_." Shiloh asked.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention." Lexi ever so casually scratched her nose, clearly showing off the diamond engagement ring on her finger.

"Oh my god!" Shiloh blurted out.

"I know! He's visiting family now but he'll be back tomorrow!" Lexi gushed.

"Tell me _all_ about him!" Shiloh demanded.

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"Liz, I came as soon as I got the message. Is she okay?" Damon asked, approaching the sheriff who was standing at the front desk.

"She's in surgery, it's ... they're doing everything they can. I need your help Damon." Liz sighed.

"Sure, anything Liz." Damon said.

"I can't find Shiloh. She isn't answering her phone or the house phone. I had a few deputies out looking for her at the grill and around town but nobody can find her. I don't know what to do, I'm worried but I don't want to leave Caroline..."

"It's okay. It's okay." Damon said, pulling her into a hug as Liz began to cry. "I'll find her. I promise." Liz left shortly after to talk to some doctors about Caroline's condition, leaving Damon to listen in on Elena and Bonnie's conversation.

"Is there something that you can do? Like a spell or something?" Elena asked.

"She doesn't know how, do you?" Damon butted in.

"No, I don't." Bonnie replied simply.

"No, you don't because it took Emily years to learn a spell like that." Damon said.

"Well, I can take down a vampire, that spell was easy to learn." Bonnie quipped.

"I can give Caroline some blood." Damon offered.

"No, no way." Elena answered immediately.

"No, just enough to heal her. She'll be safe in the hospital and it'll be out of her system in a day, she'll be better Elena.

"It's too risky, I can't agree to that." Elena said stubbornly.

"Do it." Bonnie said suddenly, much to Elena's shock. "This is Caroline. We can't let her die." She explained to her friend. "Do it." She said again, facing Damon.

"If I do this, you and me, call a truce?" Damon asked.

"No. But you'll do it anyway. For Elena." Bonnie stated before turning a making her exit.

"I know this is probably the last thing you want to do right now but we should talk about what happened tonight." Damon told Elena once Bonnie was out of sight.

"Yeah, one of the tomb vampires got into the house and almost killed John." Elena replied.

"What? When? What are you talking about? After I left?" Damon asked confused.

"You were there?" Elena asked.

"Come on, Elena, you know I was." Damon said.

"When were you at the house?"

"_Really?_ Earlier, on the porch, we were talking, all cathartic, feelings exposed. Come on, we _kissed_, Elena."

"Okay, I don't have time for this, Damon."

"If you want to forget what happened fine but I can't." Damon said, glancing up at Jenna as she arrived by Elena's side. He quickly moved away, not missing the pointed glare the redhead gave him.

"Elena, I came as soon as I got your message. How is John?" Jenna asked her.

"Where have you been?" Elena asked.

"At the fire department, I had to fill out a report. I told you earlier."

"No, you didn't."

"Yes, I did."

"No, Jenna, you didn't."

"Yes, I did."

"Mmm, you _got_ to be kidding me." Damon said to himself. He quickly realized he'd spoken out loud when both girls looked at him. He looked from one to the other before walking off without saying another word.

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Damon pulled out his cell phone, clicked on a Shiloh's contact and hit the call button as he walked. He was making good on his promise to feed Caroline his blood, though the medical staff were being less then helpful. He had already compelled at least a dozen nurses and doctors and would no doubt have to compelle more if any saw him leave Caroline's room.

"Hey, you reached Shiloh, I'm either sleeping or ignoring you. Leave a message and I might just get back to you."

"Shiloh, where are you? Liz is worried. Call me back." He said, keeping it short. He checked his watch once more. The seconds ticked by into minutes and now hours without a single reply from his little blond friend whom he had grown so attached. As he made his way out of the hospital at a brisk pace, he pondered asking Jeremy if he had heard from her, but thought better of it. He wouldn't get the little Gilbert involved without the big one sticking her nose in too, which would lead to super Stefan attempting to save the day and he really didn't want to deal with any of them right now. He huffed in annoyance, dialing Stefan's number and listening to the rings go through.

"What is it, Damon?" Stefan answered after a few rings.

"Well, that's an awfully rude way to answer a phone." Damon mocked.

"What do you want?" Stefan asked again, clearly just as annoyed as his brother.

"I'm going out of town for a while. Don't call, I need the line open." Damon explained.

"Where are you-"

"Sorry, Stef, no time." Damon said. "I have places to be." Hanging up his phone, Damon slipped it into his jacket pocket while sliding into the driver's seat of his car. He had a certain little blond to track down. And he was pretty sure where to start.

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"That's weird." Lexi commented.

"What's weird?" Shiloh asked.

"Damon's calling me." Lexi replied, glancing at her friend before answering the phone. "What do you want?" Lexi demanded.

"Geez, does anyone ever answer the phone with 'hello' anymore?" Damon asked.

"Hello, what do you want?" Lexi repeated the question.

"Shiloh. I know she's there. Put her on." Damon said.

"Shiloh's not here, Damon. She's in Mystic Falls, remember." Lexi said slowly, as if talking to a child.

"No, she's not. She asked for a rather large sum of money from me a few days ago. Had a mysterious heart to heart with Alaric last night, and now she's gone. You're the only one she talks to from out of town. Put her on the phone." Damon demanded. Lexi gave Shiloh an apologetic look as she handed over the phone.

"Hello?" Shiloh asked in a small voice.

"You left town. I didn't deserve a goodbye?" Damon asked.

"I was gonna say goodbye, but you were a total jerk to Jeremy." Shiloh replied crossly.

"Speaking of..." Damon trailed off. "You need to come back."

"Why?" Shiloh asked. "Give me one good reason."

"Is your mother not a good enough reason? Or your sister? Your friends?" Damon listed off.

"That's not fair." Shiloh huffed. "They don't need me, Damon. I need to get away. I don't belong there anymore."

"So, you left Mystic Falls because of the vampires to go to New York and live with a vampire?" Damon asked. "Great plan."

"Lexi's not an evil vampire?"

"It's not like I'd ever hurt _you._"

"I wasn't talking about you, Damon. I was talking about the endless line of vampires that seem to flock to Mystic Falls."

"I didn't want to have to tell you this on the phone." Damon sighed.

"Tell me what?" Shiloh asked.

"Caroline's in the hospital. She should be fine, but she was in a car accident. And then there's Jeremy..."

"What happened to Jer?"

"Attempted vampirism. He tried to turn himself."

"What?! Why?"

"How close were you to Anna?"

"What? The vampire girl that Jeremy liked?"

"I'm taking that as not very." Damon assumed.

"What does she have to do with this? What'd she do?" Shiloh asked.

"She died." Damon answered.

"Oh... my god." Shiloh said.

"Tell Lexi I need an invite."

"What?" A sudden knock on the door answered her question however, as Damon was revealed to be standing on the other side when Lexi opened it.

"No." Lexi said sternly, crossing her arms. "No way."

"Then she comes with me." Damon said, hanging up his cell phone and putting it in his pocket.

"I-" Shiloh didn't know what to say. She wanted to be there for her sister and her best friend, but she had finally gotten away.

"Not home, just come out so we can talk. We'll go eat." Damon offered.

"Fine, but you have to promise you won't force me to go back." Shiloh said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I promise." Damon said, a smirk present on his lips.

"Are you sure about this?" Lexi asked. "I can tag along if you want."

"No, I'll be fine." Shiloh said. "I trust him."

"Well I don't. Call me if you need anything." Lexi said. Shiloh nodded, not bothering to point out the fact that she no longer had a phone.

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"We're having lunch at the Statue of Liberty?" Shiloh asked, raising an eyebrow at Damon once she stepped out of the car.

"Not exactly." Damon said, strutting forward into the side door. Shiloh followed his lead, glancing around to make sure no one saw. As soon as the door closed behind her, shutting off the light from the outside, she felt her feet leave the ground as she was swept up into stong muscular arms and rushed up a countless amount of stairs at vamp speed.

"Damon!" She shrieked as soon as she was returned to her feet at the top of the tower.

"What?" He asked innocently. "It would've taken us forever to do it the human way."

"Why did we have to come here at all?" Shiloh asked.

"To enjoy the view of course." Damon said, motioning out the large windows. Shiloh couldn't help but let a small gasp escape her lips as her eyes fell upon the vast city of New York in awe.

"This is..."

"I know." Damon smirked.

"What's the real reason we're here?" Shiloh asked after a short pause.

"I thought you should see the best spot in New York. Without the pesky tourist." He added.

"Please tell me you didn't compelle anyone into closing the Statue off for the day."

"I didn't. It was closed anyway." Damon shrugged, taking a seat on the floor. Shiloh soon joined him as it became clear he wasn't planning on continuing until she did. "You're gonna come back." He said matter of factually.

"You gonna make me?" She asked.

"No. But you're a nice person. You aren't gonna leave your family when they need you so much. Or little Gilbert after his attempted... ya know." Damon said, making a mock vamp face and curling his fingers into claws. Shiloh rolled her eyes, but the tiniest of smiles was still noticable.

"So, are we going now? Or tonight?" Damon asked.

"Does anyone know I'm gone?" Shiloh asked, still looking out the window at the city.

"Liz is the one the sent me. She's worried. She's been calling you since the accident. I haven't had time to talk to anyone else but I think they're probably busy enough with Caroline and Jeremy. If we get back soon they might not question it." Shiloh sighed, leaning softly on Damon's shoulder.

"Can we just sit here. Just for a little longer?" She asked.

"Of course."

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After a quick stop at Lexi's apartment, a tearful goodbye between the girls, and promises to call each other more, the duo began their trip back to Mystic Falls. Shiloh was still unbelievably worried and rather scared to face Jeremy after he tried something like that, but she knew she had to. "You're doing the right thing." Damon commented, as if reading her thoughts. Shiloh looked at him sideways, smiling softly.

"I know."


	2. Chapter 2

"Jeremy Gilbert, what the _hell _is wrong with you?" Shiloh demanded, marching up to him and Stefan with a fierce expression.

"What?" Jeremy asked surprised.

"What were you thinking?!" Shiloh asked. "Oh, right. You probably weren't!"

"Shiloh-"

"Stay out of this, Stefan!" Shiloh snapped. "Did you ever stop to think about how this would affect Elena? What would we tell Jenna? And you don't even have a daylight ring you idiot! And what about me?! The best friend, remember!" Shiloh all but yelled.

"I'm sorry, okay! Trust me, it won't happen again." Jeremy said, putting his hands up in defense.

"I already gave him enough lectures to last a while." Stefan added.

"Can you just tell me why?" Shiloh asked, a bit calmer but still frustrated.

"You didn't hear?" Jeremy asked solemnly. Shiloh gave him a questioning look, then turned said look in Stefan's direction, waiting for an answer.

"Anna was in the fire. She... passed away." Stefan said.

"Oh," Shiloh said, the hardness of her expression softening as she turned back to Jeremy. "Jer, I'm sorry." She said, wrapping him in a tight hug.

"Thank you." Jeremy whispered into her ear. Shiloh pulled back, her face going stern again, yet not as harsh as before.

"We still have to talk about this later."

"Just not today. Please. I just want a distraction for a little while." Jeremy pleaded.

"Right. Well, today we have a nice little distraction courtesy of the slave driver, Elena." Stefan said as Elena arrived. "Hello, Elena." He greeted.

"Hey, did you-"

"Yeah, yeah, I set up the gold fish toss all three hundred gold fish." Jeremy cut her off, then added sarcastically "It's gonna be epic!" Elena sighed as Jeremy walked off down the hall.

"He's gonna be alright, he's just been through a little bit of an ordeal." Stefan comforted her.

"I should go talk to him." Shiloh said with an apologetic smile towards Elena. "I'll see you tonight at the carnival." She promised before following after her friend.

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"Hey, Care." Shiloh said, poking her head through the door of her sister's hospital room.

"Shiloh. Why'd it take you so long to get here?" Caroline demanded. Shiloh sighed, entering the room and perching on the edge of Caroline's bed.

"I'm sorry, Care, I came as soon as I could, but you were asleep when I got here last night." Shiloh explained. "How are you?"

"I'll be better once I get out of here." Caroline grumbled.

"Matt said you can lea-"

"Yeah, I know. Tomorrow morning. But, I need to leave _tonight_." Caroline said.

"I know, this place sucks. But, I did sneak you in something." Shiloh said, glancing behind her to make sure the door was closed before pulling a take out bag from her purse from the grill. "Just make sure you get rid of the evidence." Shiloh said.

"Thanks, Shy." Caroline smiled at her younger sister. "Are you sure there's no way I can get out tonight?"

"Why do you want to get out tonight so much? You can leave as soon as you wake up. Just sign a few forms and presto, you're free." Shiloh said.

"Because... the carnival! I need to be there." Caroline said.

"Elena and Bonnie have it covered. I was there all day setting up and everything is perfect. Trust me." Shiloh said.

"But... what if something goes wrong?" Caroline asked.

"I'll go. I promise to send updates and pictures via text. If something happens, you'll know. Deal?" Shiloh asked.

"You never go to school events unless I force you. You'd really go just for me?" Caroline asked, her eyes beginning to shine with tears.

"Geez, Care. No need to get so emotional. It's just a carnival." Shiloh said.

"Right. Sorry. Must be the meds."

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Shiloh knocked on the door to the boarding house with determination she was unaware she had. She was going to talk to Damon and figure out exactly what he'd left out on their little road trip when they had passed time by singing horribly along with the radio and playing the lisence plate game instead of talking about what had happened the night she left. "Little pup." Damon greeted with a surprise.

"Damon. Can I come in?" Shiloh asked. Damon raised an eyebrow but moved aside to allow Shiloh to enter.

"Stefan isn't here." Damon said, making his way into the living room.

"I came to talk to you." Shiloh said, following the elder Salvator. Damon grabbed a blood bag from a coffee table, noticed the look on Shiloh's face and poured it into a glass with an eye roll. He turned his back to her to do so, facing the fire as he took a sip of his drink.

"Care for one, brother?" Damon asked. Shiloh turned to look behind her where Stefan stood.

"No, thank you. I'm not hungry, just ate." Stefan replied evenly.

"Are you worried that one day, all the forest animals are gonna band together and fight back? I mean, surely they talk." Damon said with a smirk

"I'm just happy that's a blood bag and not a sorority girl supplying your dinner." Stefan replied, glancing at Shiloh carefully. "Shiloh, I think we should talk another time." Stefan said.

"Actually, she came to talk to me." Damon said.

"She did?" Stefan asked. Shiloh nodded, unsure what was causing such tension. Stefan was usually quick with a not so witty comeback when Damon was like this. Now, he was almost attempting to sooth Damon.

"I like this. You, walking on eggs shells around me because you think I'm gonna explode. Very suspenseful. Is Elena worried too? I bet I'm your every conversation." Damon's smirk grew as he faced them.

"Have you heard from Katherine?" Stefan asked.

"Katherine?!" Shiloh asked. "In mystic Falls?!" Stefan gave her a curt nod but Damon seemed to ignore their short encounter.

"I think the Lockwoods have a family secret because the Gilbert device affected them but vervain didn't so they're not vampires, they're something else." Damon said randomly.

"Is this your new obsession?" Stefan asked

"You'd rather some unknown supernatural element running rampant upon our town. Fine, I'll drop it." Damon shrugged.

"We haven't seen the last of Katherine, you do know that right? We have no idea what she's up to." Stefan pointed out.

"Sure we do. She came back to profess her undying eternal love for you so I'm gonna let you deal with her because I have more important things to do like _explode_. Cheers!" Damon smirked, holding up his glass before downing the contents. He then ran at vamp speed to stand directly in front of Shiloh. "Now, puppy." He cooed, ignoring Stefan's protective stance as he stood close behind Shiloh. "Surely you came to talk about something other then the weather. So spill."

"I- I just wanted... to thank you." Shiloh stuttered uncomfortable, glancing back at Stefan quickly.

"Thank him?" Stefan asked. Damon looked just as confused as Stefan sounded.

"Caroline. I went to see her today and she looks great. From what I heard, she wasn't doing so good before." Shiloh said. "So, thank you." Shiloh smiled up at him. "If you wanna talk... feel free to call me." She added softly.

"I will." Damon replied just as softly, looking down at her with wondering eyes.

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Shiloh weaved through the crowded carnival, taking a few pictures with her phone as she walked. She smiled and waved at Bonnie and Elena, demanding the smile so she could take a picture, then headed off through a row of games on both sides of her. "Shiloh!" Jeremy called. Shiloh stopped to let Jeremy catch up to her, immediately snapping a picture of him with her phone.

"Hey, Jer bear." She said with a smile.

"What'd with the pictures?" Jeremy asked.

"I promised Caroline I'd document the night. I kinda like the whole photographer thing." Shiloh said. "Goldfish! I want a goldfish! Come on, Jer!" Shiloh exclaimed, dragging Jeremy over to the goldfish toss. After several failed attempts, Jeremy ever so kindly offered to give it a try. He won a small orange goldfish on his first try, Shiloh of course had pictures of his victory along with a close up of the fish as soon as he handed it to her.

"How did you do that?" Shiloh demanded.

"I spent all day setting that thing up, what'd you think I did when I took breaks?" He asked with a grin. "What are you gonna name it?"

"Uhmm, how about... Buffy?" She asked.

"As in, vampire slayer?" Jeremy asked. "I like it."

"Ring toss, I bet I can win the leprechaun hat!" Shiloh said, pulling him to the next stand.

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After the two had played more games, winning a large amount of colorful plastic bead necklaces, and gone on a few rides, Shiloh had almost lost her phone on the tilt-a-wirl but continued to take pictures, the two stopped at a popcorn stand and ordered. "I like this picture best." Shiloh said, showing Jeremy the picture she had taken from the top of the ferris wheel.

"Ya know, I thought about calling," Damon said, appearing from seemingly no where. "But, I figured, what the hell, why not make it more personal."

"Aren't you a little old for a high school carnival?" Jeremy asked.

"A hundred and fifty years too old." Damon replied.

"You're pretty funny cracking jokes when I could I don't know...blow the whole lid off this thing by telling someone what you really are." Jeremy said. Damon swiftly grabbed Jeremy's arm and pulled him away from the crowd.

"Damon, please. Just let him go." Shiloh pleaded,

"So, please tell me that that is not a threat." Damon asked, dropping Jeremy's arm.

"Maybe it is." Jeremy replied.

"Jer!" Shiloh said. Jeremy just held up his ring to her.

"Can't be killed by him as long as I have the ring on." Jeremy smirked. In the blink of an eye, Damon was behind Jeremy, choking him with a deadly grip.

"This is what we're not gonna do: we're not gonna walk around like we are invincible when it's this easy for me to end you." Damon said, harshly releasing Jeremy and pushing him was at his side in an instant, concern written across her face. "If you want to tell people what I really am go ahead and try." Damon held up Jeremy's ring. "I will shove this ring so far up your ass, you'll really have something to choke on." Damon said, throwing the ring back at Jeremy.

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"Damon! You wanted to talk, let's talk." Shiloh said, giving Jeremy an apologetic look as she led Damon away. "What did you want to talk about?" Shiloh asked quietly as they walked aimlessly.

"You're scared of me too?" Damon asked with a smirk.

"What?" Shiloh asked.

"You're scared I'm gonna do something. Kill someone." Damon said. "Otherwise you'd be pissed at me right now."

"Well, yes and no. I'm not scared of _you_. I know you won't hurt me. But I am worried you might hurt someone else." Shiloh said, looking up at him with honest eyes. Damon looked back down at her with unreadable eyes. Shiloh looked back up to where Damon had ended up leading them and was surprised to see Tyler arm wrestling some random guy. "What are we doing here?"

"There's something up with the Lockwoods and I'm gonna find out what." Damon said, his eyes trained to Tyler.

"You're lurking." Shiloh glanced over at Stefan who had appeared next to Damon.

"Is the whole appearing out of no where thing something you vampires enjoy doing?" Shiloh asked.

"I'm observing." Damon said.

"More like obsessing."

"Yeah, what I really meant was why don't you guys ignore me." Shiloh said with an eye roll. Damon spared her a glance and a lopsided grin but turned back to Tyler who had just won.

"He's got strength." Damon noted

"He's a triple letter varsity athlete, of course he has strength. You're reaching." Stefan said.

"I bet I could beat you." Mason challenged Tyler

"Enter the uncle." Damon said.

"That's ridiculous." Stefan said. Mason won much faster then expected, causing Shiloh's eyebrows to rise. She had expected him to win, sure, but it looked almost effortless.

"Okay, he's the champ, who wants to go next?" Tyler asked.

"Stefan wants to go." Damon volunteered Stefan. Shiloh did her best to hide her amused grin as Stefan was put on the spot.

"Yeah, sure, I'll...give it a shot." Stefan said, joining Mason and taking the seat opposite him.

"Get him Stef!" Damon cheered causing Shiloh to let out a giggle.

"My brother over there thinks I can beat you." Stefan said.

"Your brother's wrong." Mason replied cockily. Damon rolled his eyes once Mason managed to win after a few minutes.

"You didn't put in any effort at all." Damon accused once Stefan rejoined them.

"Yeah, actually I did." Stefan said.

"Come with me." Damon said, leading the way into the hallway.

"Is he...?" Damon trailed off.

"No, no, it wasn't that kind of strength but it was more than human, if that make sense." Stefan said.

"What is up with that family? They're not vampires, what the hell are they?" Damon asked.

"Maybe they're ninja turtles." Stefan suggest.

"You're not funny." Damon deadpanned.

"Actually, I think that's the funniest thing he's ever said." Shiloh said. "What about werewolves?"

"Werewolves don't exists." Damon rolled his eyes.

"No, just vampires, witches, and doppelgänger, right?" Shiloh said.

"She has a point." Stefan said. Damon turned his head to watch Carter who was repairing something.

"What? What are you up to?" Stefan asked.

"Please don't kill anyone." Shiloh groaned.

"Since this is reality and there's no such thing as werewolves or combat turtles." Damon said.

"I said ninja turtles, actually." Stefan corrected.

"Hey you!" Damon called, strutting up to Carter.

"I have a name." Carter said, standing tall to face Damon.

"Yeah I don't care." Damon said, grabbing Carter's shoulders and compelling him. "I need you to pick a fight with someone, a kid named Tyler Lockwood."

"Damon, why are you doing this?" Shiloh asked.

"It's just an experiment. Get him mad, don't back down no matter what he does, okay?" Damon ordered Carter.

"I won't back down." Carter repeated.

"I know you won't." Damon smirked.

"Do you realize someone is going to get hurt right?" Stefan said, watching Carter leave.

"No, someone is going to get mad, as in rage." Damon said.

"What's that going to accomplish?" Stefan asked.

"Then Tyler's gonna turn into a werewolf! Wait, does that happen when he gets mad or during a full moon?" Shiloh asked.

"If he's a ninja turtle we could've just offered him pizza and see how he reacts."

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Shiloh marched through darkness, heading back towards the carnival from the parking lot where she left her things in Damon's car after asking permission of course. She was walking by a dumpster when she noticed it. The pool of blood. And in that blood, A body. Shiloh's breath caught in her throat. "No." She whispered to herself, walking shakily towards the motionless body. She recognized him as the guy Damon had compelled. No way Tyler had done this. No way. She bent to check his pulse, trying to control her sobs as her hand movements became frantic. She quickly pulled her hand back, looking at the red liquid coating her fingers. She stood up, backing away from the body. She backed into another body however, wiping around to face a pale blond with blood covering the bottom half of her face and dark veins under her eyes. Shiloh couldn't stop the small scream that escaped her.

"He's dead. I killed him. What's wrong with me?" Caroline cried. Shiloh took a shaky breath.

"Care. It's all gonna be okay." Shiloh said, gently. Caroline shook her head fiercely.

"No! I killed him, Shiloh!" She said. "And I'm still hungry." She mumbled.

"Hey, hey it's okay. I can help you." Damon said. Shiloh jumped, turning her head to face him.

"You can?" Caroline asked as Damon slowly approached her.

"Yeah, I have to." Damon said.

"What are you gonna do?" Caroline asked.

"Damon." Shiloh said, grabbing his hand as he tried to get closer to her sister.

"Calm down, I'm not gonna kill her." Damon said.

"Please don't! I don't want to die!" Caroline cried.

"Technically, you are already dead." Damon said.

"No! I'm not. Don't say that, okay? Just help me!" Caroline begged.

"It's okay, Care." Shiloh soothed, inching closer to her but still using Damon as a shield.

"Yeah, I'll help you, okay?" Damon said.

"Okay? Just help me please! Please, please!" Caroline begged.

"Okay, okay." Damon said, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Damon!" Stefan called, appearing next to the three.

"Relax, brother. I have it under control." Damon smirked.

"Caroline!" Elena called, rushing up to her.

"Get away from me! You killed me!" Caroline panicked, backing away from Elena. Shiloh quickly wrapped her arms around Caroline.

"No, no, no, no Caroline! That wasn't me. You know that! That was Katherine." Elena tried to explain.

"No! Then why did she look like you?! And why, why did she do this to me?" Caroline asked.

"Caroline, I promise I'll help you, okay." Shiloh said.

"Stefan, we've got to get her inside." Elena said.

"It's okay Caroline, come with me." Stefan said, leading her towards the school. However, before they could get inside, Bonnie arrived.

"Caroline?" Bonnie asked.

"It's okay, come on." Stefan said, pulling Caroline along.

"No, you're not; you can't be." Bonnie said, grabbing Caroline's arm and pulling away quickly when she received the visions.

"Bonnie?" Caroline asked. Bonnie turned to look at the body.

"Oh god!" She said.

"Bonnie..." Caroline said. Stefan led her away with Elena at their heels.

"I can't believe this is happening." Bonnie said as Damon arrived with a shovel, though Shiloh couldn't remember him leaving.

"Come on, don't pout about it, I've got a body to bury." Damon said, looking at Shiloh. "You're lucky I'm doing this for you." Damon suddenly dropped to his knees in pain, gripping his head as he fell to his side on the ground. "Bonnie?" Shiloh turned to her friend who then turned on the hose faucet with her powers.

"I told you what would happen if anyone else got hurt." Bonnie said darkly.

"I didn't do this." Damon groaned.

"Bonnie, please! It wasn't his fault!" Shiloh cried.

"Everything that happens is his fault, Shiloh." Bonnie said.

"Bonnie, just stop and think about this." Shiloh plead. The water suddenly lit up in flames, catching Damon on fire.

"Bonnie, you have to stop! Bonnie! Please, Bonnie!" Shiloh begged, grabbing Bonnie's, arm roughly and pulling her to face Shiloh.

"Why did you stop me?!" Bonnie asked as the flames died.

"Because this isn't you, Bon. You're not a killer. As horrible as he can be, Damon didn't do this. It wasn't his fault." She said, pulling Bonnie into an embrace. Shiloh made eye contact with Damon over Bonnie's shoulder. He silently mouthed 'Thank you.'


	3. Chapter 3

"Thanks for coming, Rick." Stefan greeted as Alaric entered.

"Can I get you something to drink? Coffee, bourbon?" Damon asked. "Bourbon in your coffee?"

"Elena mentioned you needed my help." Alaric said, glancing at said girl who stood next to Shiloh by the fireplace.

"Yeah, we were hoping you could help shed some light on the Lockwood family." Stefan said.

"Now, why would I know anything about the Lockwood's?" Alaric asked.

"Well, you wouldn't. But, your dead not dead vampire wife might." Damon said.

"Isobel's research from when you guys were at Duke together." Elena explained.

"You said that she had spent years researching this town." Stefan added.

"Isobel's research here in Mystic Falls rooted in folklores and legends but at the time I thought much of which was fiction." Alaric said.

"Like that amazing vampire story." Damon said.

"Aside from vampires, what else?" Elena asked.

"Any super strength zombie mummies?" Shiloh asked.

"The lycanthrope." Alaric said after a beat.

"Wait, like werewolves?" Elena asked.

"Told you!" Shiloh exclaimed.

"No way, impossible, way too Lon Chaney." Damon refused.

"And vampires are to Anne Rice." Shiloh pointed out.

"I've been on this planet one hundred and sixty some odd years, never came across one. If werewolves exist, where the hell are they?" Damon asked.

"Why do you suspect the Lockwoods?" Alaric asked.

"Because vervain didn't affect the mayor at Founder's day but the Gilbert device did and it affected his son Tyler." Damon explained.

"And at the school carnival his uncle Mason exhibited inhuman behavior when he fought with one of the carnival's worker." Stefan pointed out. "It suggest it's some sort of a supernatural entity."

"We were hoping that Isobel's research could help us figure it out what it is." Elena said.

"Well, all her things are still at Duke. I mean her office is still there, she's technically still missing." Alaric said.

"So, can we get access to it?" Damon asked. "Rick, we need to know what we are dealing with. If this wolf men thing is true, I've seen enough movies to know it's not good. It means Mason Lockwood is a real life Lon Chaney and that little Tyler punk may just very well be Lon Chaney junior which means Bela Lugosi, meaning me, is totally screwed."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Hey, Matt." Shiloh greeted as she passed him on her way into her house.

"Hey, do you know where Caroline is?" Matt asked.

"I dunno. Maybe you should ask Elena." Shiloh shrugged. "I'll tell her you were here though." She opened the door once he had thanked her and left, raising an eyebrow at her sister sitting on the hallway floor.

"Care." She sighed sadly.

"You promised." Caroline said in a small voice as Shiloh took a seat next to her.

"Promised what?" Shiloh asked she her sister leaned her head against Shiloh's shoulder.

"That you'd help me." Caroline mumbled.

"I will, Care. I'll call Stefan right now, okay?" Shiloh said. "We'll see about getting you a daylight ring and Stefan said he'd take you hunting."

"Hunting?" Caroline said the word with distaste.

"You _are _a vampire now, Caroline, you gonna have to actually feed." Shiloh said apologetically.

"I have to drink people's blood?!" She Caroline shrieked.

"No, no, no. Of course not!" Shiloh said, attempting to calm her.

"Oh, ok." Caroline said, relaxing slightly.

"You're gonna drink bunny blood." Shiloh said.

"Ew!" Caroline shrieked again.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"So, I don't get to choose the ring I have to wear the rest of my life?" Caroline asked, eyeing the small blue ring.

"Care." Shiloh said warningly.

"Hey, if you don't want it…" Bonnie trailed off.

"No, no, she wants it." Stefan said.

"Now what?" Caroline asked once she put the ring on her finger.

"Now is the part where I explain the rules. The witch who spells the ring has the power to dispel it so if you ever do anything to hurt anyone-" Bonnie warned.

"I'm not gonna hurt anyone." Caroline said.

"You are a vampire that mean the urge to kill is a part of who you are. The minute you let it take over," Bonnie said in a deadly voice. "I will stop you."

"Bonnie, you're supposed to be my friend." Caroline said.

"I can't ignore what happened, okay? If you want to be friends, you have to prove that the Caroline I remember isn't gone. Now put the ring on the bed." Bonnie ordered. Caroline pulled the ring from her finger and put it on the bed.

"Do you really think I meant to kill that guy at the carnival?" Caroline asked, looking hurt.

"He's still dead. Now, do you want me to cast the spell or not?" Bonnie asked. Shiloh shot the oh so judgmental witch a glare, taking Caroline's hand. Bonnie opened the curtains enough to let the sun pour in on the ring, then closed her eyes in concentration. "All done." She said, opening her eyes and handing the ring to Caroline who slipped it back on her finger.

"So, that's it? I mean nothing witchy happened. You know, no flickering lights, no gust of wind. Have you even done this before?" Caroline asked.

"Caroline…" Stefan said tiredly.

"I just want to make sure that worked." Caroline said. Bonnie pulled open the curtains, letting the sun shin in on Caroline.

"It worked." Bonnie said.

"What if it hadn't, Bonnie?!" Caroline cried.

"She's all yours." Bonnie said, taking her grimoire and leaving. Shiloh looked at Stefan with sympathetic expression.

"Have fun you guys. Be careful and call if anything happens, okay? Stefan you have my number right? And the house number. And the number to the grill. Caroline, make sure you listen to everything Stefan says, okay? And stay close to him."

"Yes, mom." Caroline rolled her eyes, leaving the room to wait for Stefan at the front door.

"Thank you for doing this, Stefan." Shiloh said. Stefan nodded and followed Caroline. Once she heard the door close, she pulled out her phone and hit a contact.

"Hello?" Lexi answered.

"Hey, Lex."

"Shiloh, you got a new phone!" Lexi cheered.

"Yup!" Shiloh said, happy to hear her friends voice again.

"So, what's up? How is Mystic Falls? Stefan still broody?"

"actually, he's kinda helping me out right now. You remember my sister, Caroline?" Shiloh asked.

"Yeah, you guys finally decide to tell her?" Lexi asked.

"Well, we kinda didn't have a choice." Shiloh said. "She's kinda... a vampire."

"Wow... How are you dealing with that?" Lexi asked.

"It was kind of a rough start but Stefan's helping her." Shiloh said.

"I'm gonna have to plan a trip back to Mystic Falls soon. Everythings going to hell in a handbasket without me." Lexi sighed. "Who turned her?"

"Katherine." Shiloh replied.

"Katherine! Katherine's in Mystic Falls! You have to be freakin' kidding me!" Lexi said outraged.

"Afraid not, Lex." Shiloh replied.

"Well now I have to come back." Lexi stated.

"What? No, Lexi, you shouldn't. She's out for blood and if she thinks you're a tre-"

"I can handle that little-"

"Lex!" Shiloh said. "PG13 please."

"Fine. I'll give it a week, but if you guys don't have it taken care of by the end of the week, I'm coming to help." Lexi said.

"Okay, I'll keep you up to date, promise." Shiloh said. "I gotta go, someone's at the door." She added, saying her goodbyes before hanging up and heading for the front door. Matt stood on the other side. "Hey, Matt." Shiloh said.

"Hey. Caroline won't answer her phone." He said. "Tyler's having a party."

"I'll be sure to tell her if I see her." Shiloh assured.

"You should come." Matt suddenly said.

"Me?" Shiloh asked surprised.

"Yeah, come on, I'll give you a ride." Matt said. "Everyones gonna be there." He added.

"I don't know... I'm not really the party type." Shiloh said. "Plus, don't you think it's weird. I mean, you're dating my older sister."

"That's kinda the reason I'm inviting you." Matt confessed. "Maybe we can actually get to know each other."

"Sure. Why not." Shiloh said, grabbing her house keys and shoving them into her pocket.

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"She is." Shiloh said, causing Tyler and Matt to jump at her sudden appearance. "This is top secret, you can't tell anyone or she'd kill me." Shiloh said, dead serious.

"Okay." Matt nodded, suddenly looking slightly worried.

"You too, Lockwood. Not a soul." Shiloh said.

"Why would I tell anyone anything about Forbes? Who would listen?" Shiloh punched him in the shoulder with a pointed glare. "Hey, I meant the big one." Tyler defended.

"You mean my sister?" Shiloh asked.

"Can you just tell me what's been up with Care lately?"

"Yeah." Shiloh said, focusing back on Matt. "She's sick. It's not pretty." Shiloh shuttered. "She won't let anyone see her. She locked herself in her room for days, we practically had to force her to come on and eat." Matt seemed to lighten at that. "She'll be here later, though."

"What's he doing here?" Tyler asked, folding his arms over his chest at the sight of Mason's truck.

"Let's go see." Shiloh said, taking Tyler's hand and leading him towards Mason.

"How are you?" She whispered, slowing before she got to Mason.

"Alright?" Tyler said, as if it was a question itself.

"Tyler, I'm so sorry I wasn't there. I mean, I don't really know if you even consider me a friend... but, I consider you a friend." She said, making eye contact. Tyler stopped her, searching her eyes for something.

"Thank you, Shiloh." Tyler said honestly before taking the lead to Mason.

"You busting us or you joining us?" Tyler asked.

"Neither. Hoping you can make sure everyone is out of here by dark." Mason said.

"What happens after dark?" Shiloh asked.

"Someone ends up wasted and dead at the bottom of the lake." Mason replied. "You heard your mom. The family is liable if anything happens."

"Don't be a party killer." Tyler said.

"Hey, I didn't say you had to stop partying, I just said you had to take it elsewhere." Mason said, glancing behind Tyler at Shiloh.

"I'm Mason, Tyler's uncle." He introduced himself, holding his hand out for her to shack. Shiloh took the offered hand.

"Shiloh, I'm a... friend, of Tyler's." Shiloh said, shooting Tyler a smile. "And, we'll be out of here by dark, Mr Lockwood."

"Please, call me Mason. It was nice to meet you." Mason said, before driving off.

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"Stefan." Shiloh greeted. "Going for a swim?" She asked with an amused smile.

"Don't think I'm dressed appropriately." Stefan smiled.

"Cause otherwise you totally would've." Shiloh said sarcastically.

"What is it with people doubting my ability to have fun?" Stefan asked.

"Hey, no doubt here, not a single one. I think when you're with Elena, you can be kinda smiley sometimes." Shiloh said.

"Kinda smiley sometimes?" Stefan repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, she makes you happy." Shiloh shrugged.

"Happier then I have been in a long time." Stefan said.

"And that's great! But, also kinda unhealthy, don't ya think?" Shiloh said. Stefan gave her a questioning look. "I'm just saying, maybe it'd be good if more then one thing could make you happy. Maybe you could make friends, interact."

"Me? Friends?" Stefan asked. "I thought I had tons, being kinda smiley sometimes."

"Well, I know one newly turned blond vampire who could use a friend that knows what she's been through." Shiloh suggested. Stefan's phone cut of any reply he could've come up with. "I wonder who that could be." Shiloh smirked.

"Hey." Stefan answered the phone. "What's up?... I'll be careful... What is it?" Stefan scanned he area with his eyes, apparently not finding what he was looking for. "Listen, I gotta go. I'll see you when you get home, okay?" Stefan said, handing up and quickly dialing another number.

"What's going on?" Shiloh asked, looking around for her sister and panicking when she couldn't locate her.

"You were right, werewolves it is." Stefan informed her.

"Shit, tonights a full moon." Shiloh said.

"I have to find Caroline and you have to get home and lock the doors until I get her back." Stefan said.

"Caroline can take a werewolf right? Or at least out run one?" Shiloh asked, noticing the hesitant expression Stefan had on his face, as if he were debating telling her something. "What?" She asked.

"A werewolf bite... it can kill a vampire."

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"Care?" Shiloh asked as she heard the door open. Caroline walked into Shiloh's room and threw herself onto her sister's bed. "Caroline, what happened? Are you okay? Is Stefan?" Shiloh asked concerned.

"He's fine. I'm fine." Caroline said dully.

"Then what's the matter?" Shiloh asked.

"Matt and I broke up." Caroline said, tears leaking from her eyes.

"Why?" Shiloh asked surprised.

"It isn't safe for us to be together, I had to make him dump me." Shiloh pulled her older sister into a hug.

"Caroline... you're so strong." She whispered.

"I am?" Caroline asked.

"Of course. You love Matt, and you let him go. Because you had to. It was best for him. You were totally and completely selfless. I don't know if I could ever do anything like that." Shiloh said.

"But... you're the mature one... the one everyone counts on. I'm the shallow one." Caroline said.

"Caroline," Shiloh said, pulling away to look at her sister. "You are _so _much stronger then I am. I could never be as good as you. You have so many people who love you, and you love them. People you'd do anything for. I don't have that. I can't. I can barely be there for Jeremy sometimes and he's pretty much my only friend." Shiloh said.

"You're the deep one. I'm the shallow one. It's always been that way." Caroline argued.

"No. You're brave. You aren't afraid to be yourself. Never change, Care." Shiloh said. "You're perfect and if you and Matt were meant to be, you'll find your way back to each other."

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"I know why she's here." Damon said.

"Damon?" Shiloh asked, looking up at him from her bed.

"I didn't tell anyone, but I did see her." Damon said. "She showed up."

"What? Who- Katherine?" She asked, sitting up and peering at him through the darkness of her room.

"She's here for Stefan." Damon said. He was sitting on her window sill, looking out into the night.

"She said that?" Shiloh asked.

"She told me she loved him. She always love him." Damon said, still not looking at her. "It was always him. Never me." He mumbled the last part to himself.

"I thought you were over her?" Shiloh asked gently.

"So did I." Damon said. "But, she reminded me I'm always second to him."

"Damon, you're not always second to your brother." Shiloh said, sitting up.

"I am. I was second to out father, second to Katherine, second to Elena." He said.

"You're not second to me." Shiloh said. Damon finally decided to look at her, his intense gaze locking with her's as he rose to his feet, walking over to her bed and sitting on the edge, his face closer to her own then usual.

"You mean that?" He asked, searching her eyes for any signs of dishonesty. She nodded her head slowly, not breaking eye contact. Damon seemed to believe her, as he leaned slowly forward causing Shiloh's eyes to flutter close, placing his cold lips to her's for a brief second. When Shiloh opened her eyes again, Damon was gone and her window was left open.


	4. Chapter 4

Shiloh quickly pulled her hair back into a high curly ponytail as she hurried around her bedroom getting ready. She wasn't sure why Elena had invited _her, _but she wasn't about to complain. At least she'd get to get out of the house for a while and away from her own thoughts. No matter how much she tried, Shiloh couldn't stop replaying last night's events in her head, over and over and_ over_ again. Her phone pulled her from yet another all to vivid memory. "Hello?" Shiloh said, answering her phone.

"Greeting from the big apple." Lexi said. "How's the Katherine hunt going?"

"It's paused for the day. Elena wants me and Caroline to come to some BQQ. We're on mission Lockwood now." Shiloh said.

"Lockwoods?" Lexi asked.

"Long story. Look, I'll tell you all about it tonight,"

"There's actually a reason I called." Lexi interrupted.

"Care to share." Shiloh asked curiously.

"I need your help." Lexi said.

"_You _need _my _help?" Shiloh asked surprised.

"Well, we've been talking about the wedding and... I want you to be maid of honor! If you want to of-"

"Yes! I'd love to! Thank you so much, Lexi!" Shiloh exclaimed.

"Thank you for agreeing." Lexi said. "I'll call tonight with plans." Lexi added. "You have to make sure Stefan gets here too."

"Of course!" Shiloh said. "I'll call you as soon as I get home."

"Okay, talk to you soon!" Lexi said.

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"Thanks for inviting me and Caroline. She could use a day of distraction." Shiloh said.

"Well, you girls aren't the plus one I'm worried about. Why is Damon coming?" Jenna asked Elena.

"Because Alaric is a pity taker. Come on Jenna, be nice." Elena said.

"I'll be nice when Damon learns to keep his paws off you." Jenna said.

"Damon's coming?" Shiloh asked, a brief worried expression crossed her face before she whipped it of any emotion.

"Good news! I found the shot glasses!" Mason said, entering the kitchen.

"That would be our exit." Elena said as her and Shiloh left the kitchen.

"I'm gonna go out on the porch and call Stefan." Elena said.

"I'll stay here and wait for Caroline." Shiloh said, taking a seat. Elena nodded and headed out of the house. Jenna entered the kitchen with Alaric on her heels, nether of which looked to pleased.

"Guessing Damon's here?" Shiloh asked.

"You didn't let him in?" Jenna asked.

"No. Elena must have." Shiloh shrugged.

"Foods ready." Mason called.

"Rick, can you go get Elena?" Jenna asked.

"Yeah, sure.

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Sometime later, after they had eaten, the group gathered in the living room to play Pictionary and soon learned Damon was not the best artist. "Dress! Ballerina!" Jenna guessed.

"Puppy! Puppy with a tutu!" Caroline said.

"No, no." Damon said.

"A dog! Hound-dog!" Jenna said.

"Dances with the wolves." Mason guessed.

"Mason wins…again." Damon said.

"How is that a wolf?" Jenna demanded.

"Hey, Shiloh?" Shiloh turned to Elena. The two were in the kitchen preparing desert while the others were in the living room playing their game.

"Yeah?" Shiloh asked.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Elena had been asking all day and once again received a reassuring head nod and smile.

"Yeah, just... a little tired I guess. Sorry, I'm being a totally suckish guest." Shiloh said. She had been spacing out all day, her thoughts traveling to Damon. She was kind of surprised he hadn't said anything to her since the kiss. He hadn't even really acknowledged her properly when he showed up and was acting as if nothing had happened. Shiloh was relieved, but also almost disappointed. Was it just a one time thing? Just a reassurance for him? Shiloh didn't know what it was to her but she almost hoped it meant more then just knowing he wasn't second to everyone, that there were real feelings-

"Shiloh?" Shiloh blinked back to reality.

"Sorry." Shiloh apologized again.

"Aunt Jenna is getting tipsy." Damon said. Shiloh jumped slightly, not aware of his appearance until now.

"How is operation Lockwood?" Elena asked.

"He's my new BFF." Damon smirked.

"There you are. Isn't this fun?" Jenna asked Elena as she walked into the kitchen.

"Yes, thank you so much for inviting me." Damon said.

"Did I have a choice?" Jenna asked.

"I know what you must think about me." Damon said.

"No, you don't. You've never dated you; I have dated many you's."

"I'm a work in progress."

"Wait, am I missing something here?" Shiloh asked.

"Trust me, you don't wanna know." Jenna said, accepting a cake knife from Elena.

"These are fancy." He noted, looking at the set.

"Thanks. My mother's silver set." Jenna said. Damon nodded, examining the silverware.

"Why don't you guys bring the pie out, I think I'm gonna cut out early if you don't mind." Shiloh said.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Elena asked again.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Elena." Shiloh nodded.

"I could give you a ride." Elena offered.

"No, it's fine. I just need some fresh air." Shiloh assured. Elena nodded as her and Jenna left the kitchen.

"Okay, what's up?" Damon asked as Shiloh grabbed her coat.

"Excuse me?" Shiloh asked.

"What's really going on here? Elena's been asking if you were okay all night." Damon said.

"I don't know, I'm just feeling out of it today. I'm fine, really." Shiloh said. Once again, Damon searched her eyes with his imploring blue orbs.

"Does this have anything to do with last night?" Damon asked. Shiloh bit her lip, looking up at him with a guilty expression.

"No." She lied weakly.

"I knew it." Damon sighed. "Look, I'm sorry okay. I- I don't know what I was thinking." Damon said.

"Damon? Are you bringing the pie out or what?" Jenna called.

"It's fine." Shiloh said. "I just thought... nevermind. It was stupid. I was stupid." Shiloh mumbled.

"Thought what?" Damon asked.

"That- I don't know, that it meant... something." Shiloh said.

"Where's the pie?" Elena asked, standing in the doorway. "We moved to the table."

"Here." Shiloh said, handing the pie to Damon before turning to Elena. "Thanks for inviting me, Ms. Sommer." Shiloh called.

"No problem, Shiloh." Jenna replied with a smile.

"Shiloh?" Mason said. "I thought you looked familiar. You're Tyler's _friend_." He said.

"Yeah. It was nice seeing you again, Mr- Mason." Shiloh said, correcting herself.

"You're not leaving already?" Mason asked.

"Of course she's not." Damon said.

"Actually-" Shiloh started.

"She'd love to stay for desert." Damon said, then turned to Shiloh with a smile.

"Uh, yeah. It looks... great." Shiloh said, taking a seat next to Mason.

"Mason, why don't you start us off?" Damon said, placing the pie on the table and offering Mason the silver knife.

"Sur." Mason said, grabbing a slice with his hands.

"I apologize, I'm an animal." He said.

"So Mason, you and Jenna never dated?" Alaric asked.

"She was always lost in Logan Fell land." Mason teased.

"My first mistake. Mason was a catch; he had girls lining up." Jenna said.

"Really? I always pegged you for a lone wolf." Damon said.

"I'm sure I wasn't half the lady killer you were. How about a toast? To new friends." Mason said.

"Hey, we're gonna go to the grill." Elena said, motioning to Caroline. "Wanna come, Shiloh?"

"Yes!" Shiloh said, getting up from the table and following Elena outside after a quick goodbye to the adults.

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"So, I was invited to Stefan's house, not the grill." Shiloh said.

"Yeah, just offering an escape route. Thought you could use one. Damon seemed to want to get under your skin for some reason." Elena said.

"Well, thanks, I guess." Shiloh said. "Beats being stuck with a maybe werewolf, my best friend's tipsy aunt, an annoying vampire, and my history teacher."

"That does sound kinda weird." Elena said.

"Yeah, this is _so _much better." Caroline said.

"Why are you being so snippy?" Elena asked.

"That's my own drama. I'm sure that you two will beat the odds. Not that there is any study to pull odds from. What is the ratio of success vampire-human coupling? I'm guessing nil." Caroline said.

"Okay Caroline." Elena said.

"Sorry." Caroline sighed.

"I love this song." Elena said, turning up the radio.

"Whats playing?" Caroline asked, pressing a button on her steering wheel.

"Playing "We Radiate" By Goldfrapp." The radio voiceover stated.

"Ta-da."

"Oh crap" Caroline said as a tire blew. Elena let out a sigh.

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"Are you sure the tow's coming? We've been waiting forever." Elena said. The three girls were standing on the road next to Caroline's car waiting for a tow truck that Shiloh was starting to think had gotten lost.

"I know, it's weird. They said they'd be here by now." Caroline said.

"Yeah. I'm just gonna call Jenna." Elena said.

"No! Let me try the tow people again. And I'll use my mad girl voice." Caroline insisted.

"Can't we just walk the rest of the way?" Shiloh suggested.

"I can't just leave my car." Caroline said.

"I can wait here, you two go." Shiloh suggested.

"Just give me a minute." Caroline demanded.

"Caroline, what part of "I'm worried about Stefan" didn't sink in?" Elena asked.

"What's the rush? Why are you hurrying to get to a relationship that will never work?" Caroline exclaimed.

"Okay, look. I know that you're upset over Matt but will you stop projecting it onto me and Stefan please?" Elena said.

"I'm not projecting anything! You're human, he's a vampire. You're gonna be 70 and in diapers and he's still gonna be smoking hot and you will never have his children, Elena! And you are too maternal to not have children!" Caroline cried.

"Where is this coming from?" Elena asked.

"I'm just trying to be your friend." Caroline said.

"Okay, well, do me a favor and stop trying." Elena said. "There's the tow, I'm gonna walk." Elena said.

"I'll come!" Shiloh cried, eager to get away from the tension. Walking with Elena would be much easier then sitting in a car with her moody sister.

"No, Elena, don't!" Caroline cried, catching her arm.

"Caroline, you're hurting me." Elena said.

"Don't leave me alone."

"What's wrong with you?" Elena asked.

"Hey there, someone called about a flat tire?" The tow truck driver asked.

"She did." Elena said, pulling her arm back and leaving Caroline. Shiloh looked between the two before she let a heavy sigh escape her lips and walk back to the car with Caroline.

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"Elena." Caroline said surprised. She and Shiloh were sitting at a table at the grill when Elena and Stefan had walked in.

"Hey." Elena said, Stefan gave a small nod but continued on to another table while Elena said at theirs.

"I'm gonna... go get a drink." Shiloh said, getting up from her seat and heading to the bar.

"We need to talk." Damon said, causing her to jump and turn towards him.

"What? Here?" She asked, looking over her shoulder at Caroline pointedly.

"Fine. Not here. Get your coat." Damon said.

"Damon, can we not do this now? I'm starting to get really annoyed with having to be careful of my every word cause anyone in town could have the fun vamp hearing thing." Shiloh said.

"What can I get you?" The guy behind the counter asked.

"Coke." Shiloh ordered.

"This isn't fair. You're avoiding being alone with me." Damon said.

"Maybe because I don't want to be." Shiloh said, looking up at him. "I'm scared, Damon."

"Of me?" Damon asked.

"Of what you're gonna say." Shiloh answered, taking the coke and handing dropping her money on the table, going back to Caroline's table.

"Bad day?" Katherine asked, suddenly appearing at the bar.

"Bad century. I heard you were on the loose." Damon replied.

"What's the matter? Jealous I spent the day with Stefan?" Katherine asked.

"I don't do jealous. Not with you, not anymore." Damon said.

"Then why so pouty?" Katherine asked.

"I tried to kill a werewolf, I failed. Now I feel like I'm not living up to my best self." Damon said, taking a swing of his drink.

"Well, werewolves aren't easy prey."

"What do you know about werewolves?"

"Why don't you ask your brother? Don't try to be the hero, Damon. You'll end up dead." Katherine said.

"Been there, done that. At least this time it'll worth it." Damon said, finishing his drink and giving Shiloh one last look before dropping some money on the bar and leaving Katherine alone at the bar.


	5. Chapter 5

"This is all part of the historical society, continuing efforts to give back to the community. Thanks to the generous donation of the Fell family. We are now standing on the sight of our newest public park. Thank you to everyone who has shown up today to lend a helping hand. Thanks." Carol Lockwood announced.

"Hey, Stefan. Mason. What's going on?" Shiloh asked joining the two.

"Nothing." Stefan said, letting go of Mason's arm. He glanced at Shiloh before leaving to join his brother. Shiloh's eyes followed his movements.

"Is something wrong?" She asked Mason, turning back to him.

"Of course not. But, I would suggest staying away from the Salvatore brothers." Mason advised.

"Don't need to tell me. There's something... off about those two." Shiloh said, looking back at the brothers. "Anyway, I was on my way to the grill, just stopped by to see how things were going."

"Well, I'll see you around, Shiloh." Mason smiled.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Hey, Jer bear. Sorry I'm late, I had to stop a Salvator Lockwood match in the park." Shiloh said, sitting at Jeremy's table.

"Of course." Jeremy rolled his eyes. "We should just get a 24/7 babysitter for Damon. Course he'd probably kill and/or compel her." Jeremy said, adding the last part thoughtfully.

"Actually it was Stefan." Shiloh said grabbing Jeremy's drink and taking a sip from his straw.

"Stefan almost started something with Mason? In the middle of the park?" Jeremy asked.

"I do believe he was attempting to fix what Damon broke before it was to late." Shiloh shrugged. Jeremy looked over her shoulder, eyeing someone at another table. Shiloh followed his line of sight to where Tyler was sitting at another table.

"Do you think we should say something?" Jeremy asked.

"To Tyler?" Shiloh asked. "I don't know... won't it seem kind of... strange."

"I thought the two of you were friends now?" Jeremy asked.

"Barely." Shiloh replied, then let out a sigh. "Might as well." The pair made their way to Tyler's table.

"Hey man, how have you been?" Jeremy asked.

"Since when?" Tyler asked.

"I don't know, I haven't seen you much since your father's funeral. I just figured maybe you'd want-"

"I'm fine, Gilbert." Tyler snapped.

"Yeah, okay." Jeremy said. Shiloh held in her laughter as Jeremy looked at her for help, which she couldn't give. Jeremy shrugged, following Shiloh's lead as she began to leave.

"Wait, hold up. I'm sorry. Bad day, bad month. Listen, you were cool that day, at the wake. Thanks for that. I felt like kind of a freak show." Tyler said to Jeremy.

"Yeah, I know the feeling well. What are you doing here?" Jeremy asked.

"Distracting myself." Tyler answered.

"Well, not to seem like a downer, but I think my 3rd wheel act is getting kinda old." Shiloh said.

"You're not a third wheel." Jeremy said.

"If anything, you're the peace keeper." Tyler said.

"Well... if you _need _me I can't possible deny you, now can I?" Shiloh said dramatically.

"Hey, thanks for the text. Where too?" Amiee asked as she and Sarah approached their table.

"My place. My mom is gone all day. Empty house, full stocked bar..." Tyler said.

"Margaritas?" Amiee asked.

"Sure." Tyler answered, then turned to Jeremy and Shiloh. "You guys in?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm in." Jeremy answered.

"I guess." Shiloh shrugged.

"Let's do it."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Shiloh sat with Jeremy and Tyler at the Lockwood mansion while Aimee and Sarah danced. "So, Ty, long time."

"Yeah, I know." Tyler said. "We-

"Where is mine?" Aimee asked, interrupting the two.

"Have at it." Tyler said, leading her to the bar.

"Well, there goes that conversation." Shiloh shrugged.

"Do you think he's a..." Jeremy asked.

"Wish I knew, Jer bear." Shiloh said. "I hope not."

"Can I see?" The two turned to face Sarah who was holding up Jeremy's sketch pad.

"No, no. No way." Jeremy said, putting his drink down and standing up.

"I want to see." Aimee added.

"Yeah, let's see. What's Van Gogh got going on?" Tyler asked.

"Okay, yeah. Check it out." Jeremy said, showing his drawings.

"Scary demon wolf thing." Sarah said.

"What's this about?" Tyler asked, taking the book and looking through the drawings.

"Just some sketches. You still draw, Tyler?" Jeremy asked, changing the subject.

"A little, but not much. You know, I've got something I'm actually working on. Come on, I'll show you." Tyler said.

"Yeah. Okay, sure." Jeremy said. Shiloh caught his arm as he began to follow Tyler.

"What are you doing?" She hissed.

"Relax, I'll be fine." Jeremy assured.

"I meant leaving me alone with those two." Shiloh whispered. Jeremy gave her a smirk before following Tyler up to the office.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"What? Caroline slow down!" Shiloh said into her cell phone. "Oh my god, are they okay?... Of course... Yeah, I'll be there as soon as I can." She hung up, jumping up from her seat.

"Something wrong?" Aimee asked.

"Yeah. I have to take off. Can you tell the guys?" Shiloh asked, grabbing her bag and jacket.

"Yeah, sure." Sarah replied as Shiloh rushed out the door. She hated leaving Jeremy with Tyler like this, but she didn't see another option. Caroline hadn't told her much, but she did tell her enough to make Shiloh run the entire way from the Lockwood mansion to the boarding house. By the time she made it to the door she was nearly gasping for air. She knocked urgently on the door, attempting to calm her breathing as she waited only seconds for the door to swing open.

"Come in." Elena said, ushering her in.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" Shiloh asked, rushing in.

"She's in the basement with Damon." Elena said. Shiloh rushed towards the basement, crashing into a solid body who caught her before she could fall.

"Whoa, slow down. She's fine." Stefan assured.

"Stefan? I'm sorry. I'm just... worried." Shiloh said.

"Come on, you can come see her." He offered. Shiloh nodded, still trying to slow her breath as Elena rejoined them, followed soon after by Caroline. The four made their way downstairs, pausing to listen to Damon and Liz's conversation.

"Can you keep Caroline far away from me please? I don't want to see her." Liz said.

"She's your daughter, Liz." Damon argued.

"Not anymore. My daughter's gone." Liz said.

"You have no idea how wrong you are about that." Damon said, looking up at Caroline. Caroline rushed off, Elena on her heels in second. Shiloh debated following, but in the end, figured Liz would need her more.

"Mom?" Shiloh said carefully, entering the room.

"Shiloh?" Liz asked surprised. "You're not..."

"No! No, I'm still... human." Shiloh said, glancing up at Damon.

"You know what these _things_ are? And you're their friends?" Liz asked.

"Yes, Mom. They aren't that bad, believe it not. Stefan is off the human blood, he only drinks from animals. And he really is a nice guy." She looked up at Damon. "They both are."

"I don't want you to turn into one of these... these monsters." Liz said.

"They aren't monsters. And trust me, I have no plans on turning into one. But, if I did... I'd hope that you'd still love me. I'd still love you." Shiloh said. "I still love my sister."

"That... thing, that _animal_ is _not _you're sister! She isn't the Caroline you-"

"Yes! She is! I know she'd still accept me if I was the one in her place." Shiloh folded her arms over her chest. "She _is _my sister. And she _is _your daughter."

"Shiloh, dear, are you... are you still drinking your coffee in the morning?" Liz asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, why- vervain. You spike my coffee with vervain?" Shiloh asked.

"And Caroline's smoothies. I guess she stopped drinking her's when she died." Liz said.

"Mom, I wasn't compelled." Shiloh stated. "I've been wearing this necklace for months. It has vervain in it. Damon gave it to me." She said, glancing sideways at the vampire again.

"Can we talk alone?" Liz said, shooting Damon a disgusted look.

"He can hear us no matter where he is in the house." Shiloh commented. "He might as well be here."

"Is... is Caroline here?" Liz asked.

"Yes." Shiloh said.

"So... she heard?" Liz asked. "What I said?"

"You can always apologize. You know she couldn't stay mad at her own mother-"

"I'm _not _her mother. Not anymore. My daughter is dead." Liz said. Shiloh shot to her feet, causing Liz to jump.

"Then I might as well be too. If you can't accept her, you can't accept me, cause it could've just as easily me! It's not like she asked for it, _sheriff_." Shiloh said, storming out of the basement. She came face to face with a teary eyed Caroline and a concerned looking Elena. Without a word, Caroline threw herself on her little sister in a tight hug.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Why, exactly do we have to stay here?" Shiloh asked Caroline.

"Because... Katherine." Caroline said, looking down ashamed. "Guess I'm not as strong as you thought."

"What? You... You made some kind of... deal with her or something?" Shiloh asked. "You invited her into the house? Without bothering to give me a heads up?"

"I was scared! She hurt me! She said she'd _kill _Matt! I had to!" Caroline said.

"Had to what, Caroline?" Shiloh asked.

"I had to spy on Elena and Stefan and report back to Katherine." Caroline said.

"I'm not mad, Care. I get it, you were protecting Matt. I understand. I'm not mad." Shiloh said, giving her sister a side hug.

"Have I mentioned how awesome you are lately?" Caroline asked.

"Mind if I have a word, Pup?" Damon asked. Caroline looked confused, but gave her little sister one more squeeze before releasing her and allowing her to stand up. Shiloh followed Damon out of the house, a questioning look on her face as he got in his car. Shiloh hesitated before following.

"Where are we going?" Shiloh asked.

"Far enough to not be heard." Damon replied.

"What's going on?" Shiloh asked worriedly. "This is awful far to go just to not be overheard. Is it about my mom?"

"No. It's about us." Damon said, parking the car in a random empty parking lot and turning to face her.

"What about us?" Shiloh asked.

"I thought I could do this. Be around you and not... go crazy. But, I can't." Damon said.

"Damon... What-" Damon leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on her lips and pulling back after a lingering moment.

"I know I'm the big bad vampire that everyone loves to hate. But, I was kinda hoping you wouldn't-" Shiloh silenced the vampire with a return kiss.

"So... What now?" Shiloh asked after a pause.

"Well, hopefully more kissing." Damon said playfully.

"I mean what happens now?" Shiloh clarified. "Do we... are we...? What are we?" Shiloh asked.

"Yeah, didn't really expect you to kiss back, so... I have no idea." Damon said.

"Do you... want to be... something?" Shiloh asked.

"Something, yes. Differently something." Damon said.

"You're gonna have to help me out here, Damon." Shiloh said, looking down at her fidgeting hands.

"Right. Shiloh Forbs, will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?" Damon asked, taking Shiloh's hand in his.

"Why, Damon Salvator, I'd love too." Shiloh grinned, leaning forward to kiss the dark vampire once more.

"Just one problem left to solve, then." Damon said.

"And that would be?" Shiloh asked.

"How do you think my brother and his merry band of do gooders are gonna take the news?"

"I'm guessing badly." Shiloh said, her smile slipping.

"I'd have to agree with you on that one." Damon said.

"We can worry about that later. Right now, can we just enjoy this. Us. Before we have to go back to all the problems and the judging friends and holier then thou siblings."

"Sounds like a plan." Damon smirked devilishly.


	6. Chapter 6

Shiloh stood as still as possible, trying to make as little noise as she could so as not to alert Caroline of her presence. "You didn't eat much." Caroline's voice said. "Good news: Doctor Damon said the vervain is almost out of your system. So with any luck, you'll be freshly compelled and back in your own bed by tonight." She added after an awkward silence. She was, of course, talking to their oh so stubborn mother. "Are you really just gonna pretend like I don't exist?"

"Yes. So please, go." Liz said coldly.

"As usual, you don't care. Got it. Just like before I was a vampire. It's not like I died or anything." Caroline said annoyed.

"Where is Shiloh?" Liz asked.

"She's refusing to talk to you." Caroline said, followed by the sound of the door opening.

"Are you… Are you really dead?" Liz asked.

"Yes and no." Caroline said.

"How is it possible?" Liz asked. Shiloh smiled as she heard the door close again and her sister began to explain. Shiloh quietly crept back upstairs.

"Damon?" Shiloh called, entering the living room. "Jeremy?" She asked, surprised to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask the same thing.

"Rick!" Damon suddenly said.

"What are you doing here?" Alaric asked Jeremy.

"Helping Damon. I'm the one who found out about the moonstone." Jeremy said. Alaric looked at Damon who shrugged in return.

"Moonstone?" Shiloh asked.

"When we know more, you will." Damon shrugged.

"Does Elena know you're here?" Alaric asked Jeremy.

"Not exactly." Jeremy said.

"What do you got?" Damon asked, digging through the box Alaric had brought and taking out a book.

"This is Isobel research's from Duke. Her assistant sent it to me." Alaric said.

"Mmm, Vanessa. The hottie." Damon said. Shiloh narrowed her eyes at him making his grin drop slightly.

"Vanessa, yes. Now, do you remember the old Aztec curse she told us about?" Alaric asked, taking the book from Damon.

"Sun and the moon, blah blah blah blah blah." Damon said.

"An Aztec curse? Cool." Jeremy said.

"Yeah, supposedly vampires and werewolves used to roam freely until a shaman put a curse on them to limit their power. Since then, werewolves can only turn on a full moon and vampires are weakened by the sun." Alaric recited the curse.

"Most of them, anyway." Damon said, holding his finger that held his daylight ring in the sun.

"According to the legend, the werewolf part of the curse is sealed with the moonstone." Alaric said.

"What do you mean sealed?" Jeremy asked.

"It's a witch thing, whatever seals the curse is usually the key to unsealing the curse." Damon said.

"Maybe Mason Lockwood believes he can use the moonstone to break the curse." Alaric said.

"If we start believing in some supernatural witchy-woo legend from a picture book, we're idiots. Who has the stone now?" Damon asked.

"Tyler." Jeremy responded.

"Can you get it?" Damon asked.

Yeah, but Shiloh could probably get it a hell of a lot faster then I could." Jeremy said.

"You _both _can do it. Teamwork all the way." Damon said sarcastically, then added to Jeremy. "See, now your life has purpose."

"So, you do believe it?" Jeremy asked.

"It's the same book that says a werewolf bite kills a vampire. Ignoring it would make me an even bigger idiot. Let's go." Damon said, downing his drink.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"She's this amazing girl one minute and then this raging, jealous freak the next." Matt said from his spot on the latter as he hung lanterns.

"Look, you know what I think of Caroline Forbes. She's an insecure, neurotic, bitchy little twit." Tyler said, holding the latter.

"And you're a big-headed, rich, spoiled, idiotic, beef head with an ego bigger then his iq." Shiloh butted in.

"Shiloh!" Tyler said.

"We were-"

"You didn't let me finish!" Tyler said quickly.

"Then by all means, continue." Shiloh said, folding her arms over her chest.

"The girl's got heart. She means well. You just gotta take the good with the bad sometimes." Tyler finished.

"Yeah. I'm gonna go get an extension cord. I'll be right back." Matt said, leaving in search of an extension cord.

"Nice save." Shiloh said.

"It wasn't a save. I was actually gonna say that." Tyler said.

"Hey man." Jeremy greeted as he approached them.

"Hey!" Tyler replied.

"Hey, so I did a little research on that stone you showed me." Jeremy said.

"What? Why?" Tyler asked, eyeing Shiloh.

"I don't know. Curiosity, boredom." Jeremy shrugged.

"Oh, in case Jeremy didn't already fill you in, I'm in the know." Shiloh said.

"Since when?" Tyler asked defensively.

"Since Mason showed up." Shiloh said. "I knew about... wolf for a long time. Back to the stone, what'd it say?"

"Well, it turns out that it's part of this Aztec legend but I want to make sure it's the same kind of stone. You think I could check it out again?" Jeremy explained.

"Nope. I gave it to my uncle." Tyler said.

"Why did you do that?" Jeremy asked. Shiloh exchanged a look with Jeremy.

"Because I'm done with legends and curses. I don't want anything to do with it, okay?" Tyler said.

"Yeah, yeah sure. It's probably… Just, uh, stupid folklore anyways. Forget it." Jeremy shrugged.

"I'm gonna head off, now. Try to find Elena and Bonnie. You guys have fun." Shiloh said, leaving the pair and walking inside towards Mason.

"What do you think you're doing?" Damon asked, stepping in front of Shiloh and blocking her path.

"Nothing, just helping set up the ball." Shiloh said innocently.

"For some reason, I find myself doubting the sincerity of your motives." Damon said.

"I know what I'm doing, Damon." Shiloh said.

"Which would be?" Damon asked.

"I'm just gonna talk to Mason. I won't let on I know anything about anything." Shiloh assured him.

"I don't like it. To risky." Damon said shortly.

"You wouldn't have a problem if it was Jeremy going to talk to him." Shiloh argued.

"I'm not secretly involved in Jeremy." Damon whispered quietly in her ear.

"Now, wouldn't that be something." Shiloh smirked.

"When are we planning on sharing that with the group, anyway?" Damon asked.

"I don't know. It just seems kinda wrong with Stefan and Elena and everything else that's going on." Shiloh said. "Soon." She promised.

"For now, feel like helping out on a little plan of mine?"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Okay. This is as far as I go." Bonnie said, getting annoyed as Damon released her arm.

"Okay." Damon said, glancing at Stefan and Shiloh.

"What do you want?" Bonnie asked.

"A favor." Damon said.

"Like that's gonna happen." Bonnie said sarcastically.

"So predictable." Damon said, looking over at the other two. "That's why I brought them."

"I know how you feel about helping us out, but since you're the one that linked Mason with Katherine, we finally have an opportunity to get an upper hand on both of them so, just hear us out." Stefan said.

"Pretty please." Damon added.

"I'm listening." Bonnie said.

"I have to fill Elena in on what's going on." Stefan said, taking his cell phone out. "Can you play nice, please?" He asked Damon

"Trust me, he can." Shiloh said. Stefan nodded, answering his phone and walking away.

"All you have to do is touch Mason Lockwood again to see if he gave Katherine the moonstone." Damon said.

"My visions don't work like that. I don't get to ask questions." Bonnie said.

"How inconvenient. Although, let's talk about that little witchy juju thing you do with me. You know, the fun one where my brain burst into flames? What is that?"

"That's me giving you an aneurysm. Your blood vessels go pop, but you heal quickly; so, I do it over and over again."

"Is it vampire specific?"

"It'd work on anyone with a supernatural healing ability."

"That's actually pretty cool." Shiloh said to herself, then noticed the look Damon gave her. "You know, in a totally not cool way."

"Damon, I'm not gonna help you hurt him." Bonnie said.

"Mason Lockwood's a werewolf, Katherine's evil. They're the bad guys. Really? You're gonna play morality police with me right now? Let me put it to you another way: they're a threat to Elena. So you, witch, are gonna get over yourself and help us." Damon demanded.

"Yeah, he meant that as a question with a "please" on the end." Stefan said, rejoining them.

"Absolutely." Damon said.

"With cherries on top." Shiloh added.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Well, my part was done for a while now, think I can take off?" Shiloh asked, eyeing Mason guiltily.

"You don't feel bad for him, do you?" Damon asked.

"Well..." Shiloh trialed off. "It's just, we lured him into a trap by playing on his good citizen card. Seems kinda wrong."

"This is the guy who tried to eat both our sibling, Pup." Damon reminded her. "Grab that corner." He instructed to Bonnie.

"Why are we doing this?" Bonnie asked, helping spread the blanket in the Salvator's living room.

"Because I don't want to stain the carpet." Damon said.

"I knew you were gonna say something like that." Bonnie commented.

"Then why'd you ask?" Shiloh shot back.

"I'm sorry, do we have a problem?" Bonnie challenged.

"Yeah, actually, we do." Shiloh said.

"Now, now, girls, play nice." Damon said, digging through Mason's bag.

"He's not gonna be out much longer." Bonnie said.

"Woah. Looks like this guy's used to being tied up." Damon said, pulling chains out of Mason's bag. Bonnie knelt in front of where Mason slouched on a chair and took his head in her hands.

"What are you doing?" Damon asked.

"You're looking for a moonstone. I'm trying to help you find it." Bonnie said.

"Oh, good, yeah. Find out if he gave it to Katherine, and find out where she is. And find out what they're gonna do with it once they get it." Damon listed, tying Mason to the chair while Bonnie closed her eyes, concentrating.

"Somewhere small. dark. There's water." Bonnie said.

"Like a sewer?" Damon asked.

"No. Like a well? That can't be right. Yeah. It's a well." Bonnie said.

"Why would it be in a well?" Damon asked.

"I told you, I only get what I get." Bonnie said, dropping her hands and opening her eyes. Mason grunted, grabbing Bonnie's hand. Damon was quick to pull the werewolf off her, and as soon as she was free, she stood and hurried away. "That's it. That's all I got."

"Hey, judgey!" Damon called. Bonnie turned to look at him with raised eyebrows.

"Thank you." He said.

"You actually thanked her... Whoa." Shiloh said as soon as Bonnie was gone. Damon rolled his eyes.

"Maybe you're a bad influence." He smirked.

"Is Caroline still in the basement?" Shiloh asked pointedly.

"Yes. I believe their bonding." Damon said after pausing to listen.

"So... she's okay?"

"She will be." Damon turned to Mason "Come on. Wake up, wolf boy." Damon ordered, punching the man in her his face. Damon stopped to listen to something for a while, then zoomed over to Shiloh at vamp speed, standing directly in front of her.

"Damon?"

"Caroline and Bonnie are gone." Damon said shortly, bending his head to kiss her fiercely. "I hate not being able to do this more." Damon said between kisses.

"We just have to find the right time to tell them." Shiloh replied. Mason's sudden struggle to get out of the chair made the two break apart.

"Someone's feisty." Damon commented, turning to Mason. He walked over to the fire place, shoving a iron poker in the flames. Panick filled Mason's eyes as his trashing became worst and he fell backwards.

"Shiloh?!" He asked, spotting her for the first time. Damon immediately strut over to him, gabbing the iron poker into Mason's chest.

"You can hurt, good to know. I was afraid you were gonna be some beast mass with no affinity for pain." Damon said as Mason cried out in pain. Damon pull the collar of Mason's shirt down to look at the wound. "Oh, but you heal quickly. Not good. Guess I'll just have to keep applying pain." Damon said, grabbing Mason and pulling him back upright, then walked back to the fireplace to reheat his weapon.

"So… Katherine. How do you know her? What is she up to?" Damon asked. Mason spit blood on the floor, but otherwise kept his mouth shut. "I have all day." Damon added, trusting the hot iron poker into Mason's stomach.

"Damon, maybe you should focus less on the girl, more on the you know what." Shiloh suggested.

"Getting jealous, are we?" Damon asked.

"Yes, Damon, I'm so jealous you're torturing a werewolf for your crazy, sadistic, bitch of an exgirlfriend. When do I get a tortured werewolf?" Shiloh asked sarcastically.

"Don't worry, babe, this one's for you." Damon said, shoving the poker at Mason again before putting it back into the fire. He looked back at Mason with slight amusement in his eyes. "When did you two meet? Did she seduce you, tell you she loved you? You're supernatural so she can't compel you. I'm sure she used her other charms. Katherine's good that way." Damon said.

"Now I'm getting jealous." Shiloh muttered. Damon shot her a smirk that dropped when Jeremy entered the room, setting a box down as he walked.

"I thought I told you to leave." Damon said.

"I found something in Ric's box of stuff." Jeremy said.

"Oh. What is it?" Damon asked, walking over to Jeremy as he pulled out a plant.

"I did a search on my phone. It's a plant. Aconitum Vulparia. It grows in the mountainous areas of the northern hemisphere. Commonly known as aconite, blue rocket, and-"

"Wolfsbane." Shiloh finished. Damon raised an eyebrow but turned back to the plant, taking it in his hand and examining it. "Not like it was a far jump. Vampires have vervain, werewolves have wolfsbane."

"What else did you read?" He asked Jeremy.

"Well, every source says something different. One myth says it causes lycanthropy, which sounds bogus. Another one says that it protects people and another one says, well, it's toxic." Jeremy said.

"I'm guessing lucky number three." Shiloh offered.

"Couldn't agree more." Damon said, taking the plant and heading back to Mason. "What's Katherine doing in Mystic Falls?" Damon waited for an answer, but when one didn't come, he didn't hesitate to brush the ends of the wolfsbane across Mason's cheek resulting in a scream. "Why is she here?" Damon asked again.

"She's here with me. Why do you ask, you jealous?" Mason asked.

"How rude of me. You know, I just realized, I didn't offer you anything to eat." Damon said, shoving the wolfsbane into Mason's mouth. "Yummy!" Damon stood up straight, allowing Mason to spit out the wolfsbane, coughing and gasping for breath.

"Damon, maybe you should give him a break." Shiloh said.

"Why do you want the moonstone?" Damon asked, ignoring her.

"Screw you!" Mason snapped.

"Ahhh! Wrong answer!" Damon said.

"If he was gonna say anything, he would have already!" Jeremy exclaimed.

"I'm taking your eyes now." Damon commented.

"The well! You can find it there." Mason said.

"I know where it is. I want to know what it does and why you want it." Damon said.

"I'm getting it for Katherine." Mason said.

"Why?" Damon asked.

"She's gonna use it to lift the curse." Mason answered.

"Of the moon? Now, why would a vampire help a werewolf break a curse that keeps them from turning whenever they want?" Damon asked.

"So I wouldn't have to turn anymore."

"Why?"

"Because she loves me."

"Now - now I get it. You're just stupid. Katherine doesn't love you. She's using you, you moron." Damon laughed.

"I'm done talking." Mason said.

"Yes, you are." Damon said, handing Jeremy the wolfsbane.

"It's time to take a walk, Jeremy." Damon said.

"I'm staying." Jeremy replied stubbornly.

"Jer, maybe you should just go." Shiloh suggested.

"I'm staying, Shiloh. He's had enough." Jeremy replied.

"Just help Tyler. Don't let this happen to him." Mason told Jeremy with pleading eyes.

"Damon…" Jeremy said. Damon ran over to Jeremy at vamp speed, grabbing his throat.

"You wanted to be a part of this? Well, here it is! Kill or be killed! The guy is a werewolf; he'd kill me the first chance he got! So, you suck it up or leave." Damon said, roughly pushing Jeremy backwards. "He wants me to kill him, anyway. Don't you, Mason? It really is a curse, isn't it?" Jeremy sprung to his feet and left the room in a hurry.

"Damon." Shiloh said.

"You know, I look at you I see myself. A less dashing, less intelligent version." Damon said.

"I love her." Mason said.

"Oh, I know! I've been where you are. But Katherine will only rip your heart out. Let me do it for her."

"Damon! Would you stop ignoring me!" Shiloh yelled. "You said it yourself! He's just an idiot who happened to fall for the wrong girl. It could've just as easily been you in that chair."

"And at one point, it probably should've been. But, what do you expect me to do? Let him go so the next full moon he can come bounding through the woods and use us all as chew toys? That is, of course, if Katherine doesn't kill him for telling us this much." Damon said. "Wake up and smell the corpse, Shiloh. Mason's dead. One way, or another. Might as well be now before he can do any damage." Damon said, trusting his hand into Mason's chest and ripping his heart out. "It had to-"

"Don't. Just... don't." Shiloh said, shaking her head. She gave one last guilty look at Mason before leaving.


	7. Chapter 7

"What's going on? What happened?" Shiloh asked as soon as she and Stefan entered the living room.

"Go ahead, tell them. You're gonna love this." Damon said.

"I saw Katherine today." Caroline stated.

"Where?" Stefan asked.

"Are you okay?" Shiloh asked, rushing to her side.

"I'm fine." Caroline assured, then turned to Stefan. "At the grill. I just stopped by to gawk and... quasi-stalk Matt. I was at the grill and Matt saw me, he asked if I needed a table and I panicked and said I stopped in to use the washroom."

"Skip the teen drama and get to it." Damon said.

"Then I had to pretend to use the bathroom even though I didn't really have to go because I'm a doofus." Caroline continued. "I was washing my hands when Katherine came in, pretending to be Elena. I went along with it for a minute, then tried to get out but she stopped me. She wanted me to give you guys a message."

"What was the message?" Stefan asked.

"She told me to tell you that she want the moonstone or she'd will rip this town apart until it rains blood." Caroline said.

"Tell him the rest of it." Damon pushed.

"Tonight, at the masquerade ball." Caroline finished.

"She wants to do it in public. Killing Mason threw her off guard." Stefan said. Shiloh tensed, glancing up at Damon then back to Caroline.

"She's running scared. What she did to Jenna was desperate. She's out of tricks." Damon said.

"We can't underestimate her. We have to play this smarter than her." Stefan said.

"Yeah, it was differently an _idiotic_ move to kill Mason."

"I did what I needed to do." Damon argued.

"But you didn't _need_ to kill him." Shiloh snapped. "You got all you needed off him without him even knowing in the first place! You could've let him think he escaped or that Jeremy or me let him go. You just go straight for the kill."

"Can we _please _not talk about this right now." Damon asked.

"How bout we don't talk about this _ever_." Shiloh said, rolling her eyes.

"What's going on between you too?" Caroline asked.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." Shiloh said.

"Whatever. Can we just give her the moonstone so she'll leave?" Caroline asked.

"No, Katherine's not getting dick. I've had it. I'm gonna go to the masquerade ball and I'm gonna kill her, tonight." Damon said firmly.

"You're not gonna kill her." Stefan said.

"Don't give me that goody-goody crap." Damon said.

"You're not gonna kill her."

"Really?"

"Because I am." Stefan said.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Can we talk for like two seconds?" Damon asked in loud whisper.

"You realize everyone in the house can her you, right?" Shiloh asked.

"Then come with me." Damon said.

"No." Shiloh said. "I'm done, Damon. I watched a man, Tyler's uncle, have his heart ripped out in front of me. I just... I need some time to figure out what happens now."

"So... There is a chance that maybe-" Shiloh placed her finger gently on Damon's mouth, hushing him, then moved both hands to cup his face. She stretched up on her toes to lightly kiss him before falling flat on her feet and dropping her hands.

"Maybe." She said. "Come on, Alaric should be here soon." Shiloh said, leading him back to the living room.

"Ric." Damon said, joining him immediately.

"Stefan, when does Bonnie get here?" Shiloh asked, taking a seat on the floor where Stefan had spread out books and papers everywhere.

"She's here now." Caroline said, taking a seat next to Shiloh on the floor.

"Hey, you brought the grimoire, thank you." Stefan said, greeting her.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"We're gonna kill Katherine." Jeremy said, walking past her and over to sit on the floor with the Forbs sisters.

"I can explain." Stefan said.

"Please." Bonnie said.

"We're... gonna kill Katherine."

"This works with compressed air. The trigger mechanism is up here. I have two of these in a different size. For you I recommend this. It fits nicely under the jacket sleeve. You use the trigger when you're ready." Alaric said, demonstrating how the weapon worked. "You wanted me to show you how to kill a vampire." He added after Damon and Stefan exchanged looks.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Are you sure you guys don't want me there tonight?" Alaric asked.

"No, I need you to stay with Elena. I don't want her to know about this." Stefan said.

"Okay. Well, I'll make sure she doesn't leave my sight." Alaric said.

"Alright, if anybody wants to back out, I'll understand." Stefan said.

"Yeah. Cold feet speak now. I don't want this going wrong if someone chicken's out. Caroline." Damon said.

"I won't. Look, she killed me. Fair's fair. As long as there's no werewolf running around." Caroline shuttered.

"Oh, I took care of Mason." Damon said, to which he received a glare from Shiloh.

"As long as Tyler doesn't kill anyone, he won't turn." Jeremy said.

"Bonnie? Are you with us?" Stefan asked.

"But no one gets hurt." Bonnie said after a long pause.

"Except Katherine. Tonight Katherine gets a stake through her heart." Damon said.

"Right, everyone should probably start getting ready for the masquerade now." Caroline instructed. Everyone nodded their agreement, breaking apart as they each left the room. Before Shiloh could make it far, Damon was in front of her, blocking her path.

"Damon." Stefan said, he was the only other one still in the room. "What do you think you're doing?" He asked.

"I'm asking the lovely Ms. Forbs to accompany me to the masquerade ball, of course." Damon said.

"What?" Shiloh asked surprised.

"What are you playing at?" Stefan asked.

"Nothing. I can't request a fair lady's company at a social event?" Damon asked innocently.

"Leave Shiloh alone." Stefan said forcefully.

"I think it's the lady's choice, brother. So, what will it be, Pup? Yes or no?" Damon asked. Caroline beeped her horn outside, signaling Shiloh to hurry up.

"Damon..."

"No leading me on, Shiloh, I'm done with that. I've had over a hundred years of that with Katherine. I'm done waiting. Answer the question, now. Yes or no?" Damon demanded.

"Yes." Shiloh answered quickly before side stepping the blue eyed vampire and hurrying out to her sister's car.

"What was all that about?" Stefan asked.

"Can't say. You'd just go blab to your girl- I'm sorry, exgirlfriend and all her gal pals." Damon smirked.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Damon, whatever you're trying to accomplish by messing with Shiloh, stop." Stefan said sternly as the brothers arrived at the Lockwoods.

"You're really desperate to know, aren't you?" Damon smirked.

"Is it dangerous?" Stefan asked. "Is someone else gonna get hurt?"

"Stefan," Damon said, stopping and turning to face his younger brother's concerned face. "It is the most dangerous thing I can think of. And someone could diffidently get hurt. But it's worth the risk."

"What's worth the risk? You're gonna get Shiloh hurt for some stupid revenge plan aren't you?" Stefan asked.

"Shiloh's not the one that's in danger here." Damon responded. Stefan gave his older brother a questioning look before the confusion on his face was replaced with realization.

"You actually like her?" Stefan finally asked.

"Sorry brother, my date awaits." Damon said, spotting Shiloh and making his way to her. "Shiloh." Damon smiled charmingly as a greeting.

"Hello, Damon." Shiloh replied with an unsure smile in return.

"Care to dance?" Shiloh nodded mutely and placed her hand in his. The two began to dance to the music, their bodies swaying together.

"So, I take it you told Stefan?" Shiloh asked, noticing the careful eye Stefan was keeping on them. "He's listening to us." She commented.

"I may have mentioned it. Hope you don't mind." Damon said.

"I don't. At least it's one less person to hide from." Shiloh smiled.

"I think it's time we stop hiding. From everyone." Damon said. "I think you should tell your sister."

"Can I tell my mom?" Shiloh asked with a sly smile. "I'm sure she'd love to hear her daughter's boyfriend is her BFF, or that her vampire hunting partner is dating her youngest child. Which do you think she'd rather?"

"Maybe we should hold off on that one." Damon commented.

"Okay, so should we tell everyone at the same time? Or one by one?" Shiloh asked, resting her head on Damon's shoulder.

"Tell your sister. We can tell your mother together. Everyone else can find out on their own. They're just gonna try to stop us anyway." Damon said.

"I wish they wouldn't." Shiloh said softly.

"They care about you. They know you're to good for me." Damon said.

"They're wrong." Shiloh said.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?" Damon asked.

"I... I don't agree with what you did, Damon. I might never agree with your methods, but you did what you thought was right to protect all of us. You're the one who has to call the hard shoots and it's unfair but... I know sometimes you'll have to do horrible things. But you only do those horrible things because you're a wonderful person." Shiloh said.

"Shiloh..." Damon said softly, trailing off.

"Damon." Stefan interrupted. "I could use your help." Shiloh nodded at Damon, silently telling him to go with his brother.

"Save the last dance for me." Damon said, bowing to kiss her hand.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"What's going on?" Shiloh asked as she slid out of passenger's seat of Damon's car. "The tomb? What are we doing here?"

"Putting it to it's orignal use." Damon said, opening his trunk and pulling out Katherine's limp form.

"You're not going to kill her?" Shiloh asked as she followed Damon into the cave.

"I think her punishment should be a bit more... poetic." Damon said, tossing her into the tomb effortlessly.

"Now what?" Shiloh asked.

"Well, now we wait for her to wake up so we can have our final farewell." As if on que, Katherine suddenly awoke, locating the moonstone on the ground next to her and immediately snatching it up. She stood, smirking at Damon as she approached him only to be blocked by an invisible wall.

"Hello Katherine." Damon smirked.

"Where am I?" Katherine asked.

"Where you should have been all along. I thought you'd have learned your lesson by now, messing with a Bennett witch." Damon explained.

"You should have killed me."

"Death would have been too kind." Damon said, approaching the stone door to close it

"No, Damon, don't. Damon, don't. You need me, Elena's in danger." Katherine cried.

"From what?" Shiloh asked.

"She's lying, she's always lying." Damon said.

"Why do you think I haven't killed her? Because she's the doppelgänger, she needs to be protected." Katherine said.

"Then I'll protect her, while you rot in hell." Damon said, closing the large stone door.

"No, Damon, don't! I'll do anything, please. Damon! You need me! Damon! You need me! You need me!" Katherine shrieked before the door closed in her face.

"Now that that's dealt with." Damon said, turning back to Shiloh with a sly smile. "I believe I reserved a dance." He pulled out his phone, looking through his songs until he found 'Chasing Cars' by Snow Patrol, and letting the music fill the room. He offered Shiloh his hand. "Ms. Forbs, would you care to join me?"

"Indeed I would, Mr. Salvatore." Shiloh grinned, taking his hand and allowing herself to be pulled into his strong arms. She rested her head against his shoulder as they swayed to her favorite song. It was perfect. The silence was perfect. The night was perfect. Tomorrow she would have to face her sister, and it scared her more then she cared to admit, even to herself. But tonight, she was with her _boyfriend_, Damon Salvatore. And they were happy.


	8. Chapter 8

"So, Sarah attacks Tyler and he pushed her away and she tripped and she fell and she hit her head." Caroline said.

"Does Matt remember anything?" Damon asked.

"Hmm, he thinks he blacked out but I think they were both compelled by Katherine. That s why I covered for Tyler and said it was an accident." Caroline said.

"Yeah, I don t understand that. The guy is a tool." Damon said.

"Damon-" Shiloh began with a disapproving tone in her voice. "He has a point." She finished, shrugging and turning to her sister.

"Gee, duh. Tyler getting blamed for Sarah death just opens up questions that he can t answer and do you really think that it's a good idea for him to tell his mom he's a werewolf?" Caroline said.

"Well, no." Damon said.

"And that werewolf road leads straight to Vampire Boulevard! I thought I was thinking fast on my feet." Caroline defended herself.

"No, you were, he's just not the best at positive reinforcements." Shiloh said.

"Where is your mom?" Damon asked.

"Leading the search party for Aimee Bradley. They haven t found her body yet." Caroline replied.

"Oh, teens today and their underage drinking. Tragic. Wait, did you see Tyler s eyes turn yellow?" Damon asked.

"They were more gold with amber highlights." Caroline said.

"Oh." Damon replied.

"I was thinking of getting amber highlights." Shiloh said casually.

"That would look totally awesome on you." Caroline said. "You should."

"Huh, maybe I'll do it this Friday." Shiloh said. "Wait, so, can Tyler turn into a wolf now?"

"Sometimes teenage girls attention spans amaze me." Damon commented. "Only on a full moon but now he has increase strength and who knows what else. I wonder how much Mason told him." He added as Caroline picked up her phone, zoning out of the conversation in favor of texting.

"Does he know about us?" Damon asked her. "Hey! What did you tell him?" He said, gaining her attention. "Can we please try to focus for longer then three seconds? It's like dealing with goldfish."

"I have a goldfi-" Shiloh started, but after seeing the warning look on Damon's voice, stopped mid word.

"Nothing, really. I don t think he knows much of anything. He seemed really freaked out and honestly, I felt kind of bad for him." Caroline said, answering Damon's question.

"He s got to know something." Damon said as Caroline left her room, heading for the front door with Shiloh in tow.

"Alright, I'll ask him." She said. Damon, apparently, didn't like that plan and showed his displeasure by rushing up to Caroline at vamp speed and catching her arm.

"No, you won t Caroline! He cannot know about us. A bite from a werewolf can kill a vampire so don t be his friend! Do you understand me?" Damon said urgently.

"I understand. We're late for school." Caroline said.

"Right. If you want to drop the hint to your mom, that Aimee s body is at the bottom of a ravine with a cracked spine. Might save your mom some time." Damon said, opening the front door and allowing both Forbs sisters to leave before following them out the door and closing it behind him.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Fun fact; Lexi's getting married! They haven't picked the date yet but she wants you there, in New York. I was gonna tell you earlier but I was kinda distracted with everything getting all ahh and why do you look like we're still in the ahh faze?" Shiloh asked. Stefan and Jeremy exchanged looks before Jeremy spoke.

"Elena's missing." He said.

"What?" Shiloh said, here eyes going wide.

"Oh, my god. Do you have any ideas where she might be?"

"Not yet." Stefan answered shortly.

"Okay, come on, we should talk about this outside." Shiloh told Stefan.

"I'm coming too." Jeremy said.

"No, you're-"

"She's my sister, Shiloh, I'm going to find her." Jeremy said strongly.

"Which is why you aren't coming with us. You're gonna go find Bonnie and ask her if she can do a tracking spell or something. Use Alaric's classroom, I'm sure he won't mind." Shiloh said, turning to Stefan. "Now. Come." She ordered, pulling him down the crowded hallway.

"I'm calling Damon." Stefan said, pulling out his phone. After a short conversation with his brother, Stefan replaced the phone in his pocket and the pair made their way out a side entrance.

"I don't spose you have a list of grudge holding vampires in your pocket?" Shiloh asked. "After all, you must have pissed someone off, being alive that long."

"No, if I ever did have problems with people, Damon usually took it upon himself to... deal with them." Stefan said. "I can only think of one person who would do this." Stefan said, his jaw set.

"Well start thinking of more names. Maybe it's a witch. A werewolf. A human even." Shiloh said.

"What exactly are we doing?" Damon asked as he joined the two. "Making list of things that try to kill us?"

"Elena's missing." Stefan said. "She didn't go home last night and her car is gone."

"So, we think kidnapping?" Damon stated more then asked.

"All signs point to yes." Shiloh sighed.

"This has Katherine written all over it." Stefan said.

"Katherine's in the tomb. Trust me; I'm the one who shut her in." Damon said.

"Did you?" Stefan asked.

"Did I what, Stefan?" Damon asked.

"Well, I know the hold that Katherine has on you." Stefan said.

"She's in the tomb, Stefan. Would you just trust him for once." Shiloh rolled her eyes.

"But she did say something to me right before I shut her in. I thought she was lying." Damon said.

"What did she say?" Stefan asked.

"Elena's in danger." Damon said.

"What? And you didn't think you should ask her to elaborate?" Stefan asked annoyed.

"Everything she says is a lie. How am I supposed to know if she's gonna start spouting out the truth?" Damon said.

"We have to go talk to her." Stefan said.

"No, no. Let me tell you how that's gonna go: We're gonna go ask her for help, she's gonna negotiate her release which we're gonna be dumb enough to give her and she's gonna get out and kill us! This is exactly what she wants!" Damon said.

"I don't really care." Stefan shrugged.

"It is a really bad idea, Stefan." Shiloh said.

"It's Elena."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"How does this is work?" Jeremy asked.

"I ll use your blood to draw energy for the tracking spell. You re blood related; it'll make the connection stronger." Bonnie explained.

"Cool." Shiloh said, looking over the map and candle.

"Alright, Alaric said we ve got to clear out of here within 10 minutes. I've got weapons, he stocked me up." Stefan said, entering the room and closing the door behind him.

"Are you ready?" Bonnie asked, taking Jeremy's hand and holding it over the map, waiting for his nod before cutting his hand as shallow as she could manage to draw just a few droplets of blood that fell onto the map. She closed her eyes, concentrating on the spell as the drops of blood began to merge, moving together across the map and pooling in one spot. "There. She's there." Bonnie said, opening her eyes.

"That's like 300 miles away." Shiloh said.

"No Bonnie. We need a more exact location than that." Stefan said.

"That's as close as I can get." Bonnie said.

"We can map it, aerial view will show us what s around there, help us narrow down the area." Jeremy said.

"Perfect. Call me with whatever you find." Stefan said.

"No, no, I m coming with you!" Jeremy argued. Shiloh pulled out her phone, sending a brief text to Damon before stuffing it back in her pocket and looking up in time to see Bonnie whipping the bright red blood dripping from her nose. Their eyes locked for a moment before Stefan's urgent voice drew their attention back.

"She s not. You three go back to your house just in case. I'll call you the minute I find her." Stefan said.

"Well, you can t do this alone." Jeremy said.

"He s not." Damon said, arriving at the now open door. "Let s go." He told Stefan.

"You're coming with me?" Stefan asked.

"Apparently." Damon said, looking at Shiloh.

"Damon, he needs you." Shiloh said, walking up to him. "Go. Help your brother save his girl. Just be careful and make sure neither of you get hurt. Or Elena."

"And I'm doing this out of the kindness of my heart?" Damon asked, raising an eyebrow playfully.

"You're doing this because you're a good brother." Shiloh said, giving him a quick kiss. "Be safe, boyfriend." "Boyfriend?!" Bonnie said shocked and outraged.

"Time to go, Stef." Damon said, bending to kiss Shiloh once more before speeding off at vampire speed.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Thank you for helping me." Stefan said as he sat in the passenger's seat of Damon's car.

"Can we not do the whole road trip bonding thing? The clich of it all makes me itch." Damon replied. "Oh, come on Damon. We both know that you being in this car has absolutely nothing to do with me anyway." Stefan said.

"That's where you're wrong, little brother." Damon said, not looking away from the road.

"Oh?" Stefan said.

"Believe it or not, I'm over Elena. And Katherine." Damon said. "You're really serious about Shiloh?" Stefan asked.

"I really am." Damon said, turning to look at his brother. "I'm not all bad you know."

"I know." Stefan said.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"I can't believe you would date him." Bonnie said, almost glaring at Shiloh. "Are you sure he didn't compel you?"

"I'm still wearing the vervain necklace, Bonnie." Shiloh snapped, openly glaring at Bonnie.

"Don't you remember everything that he's done?! To Caroline! To you! To everyone!" Bonnie cried.

"I remember. Now can we please focus on more important things at the moment." Shiloh said. "In case you forgot, Elena's missing."

"She's right." Jeremy said, letting out a sigh while looking for the coordinate Bonnie had given them on his phone.

"Alaric just left with Jenna." Shiloh said, looking out the window.

"He s getting her out of the house for a while so she doesn't ask questions about Elena. Look. I pulled this up based on that spot on the map." Jeremy said, showing the girls his phone which displayed a white rundown house in the woods. "There s nothing for miles except for this old house."

"Did you send it to Stefan?" Shiloh asked.

"Yeah." Jeremy nodded.

"Are you honestly okay with your best friend dating Damon Salvatore?" Bonnie suddenly asked.

"No. But right now, my sister is missing and we have no idea if she's okay. I trust Shiloh to know what she's doing. I don't like it, but I can't stop her from being with someone she wants to be with. Even if he might be wrong for her." Jeremy said.

"Thanks, Jer bear." Shiloh said, smiling at her best friend. "They'll find her. I know they will."

"I hate sitting here, waiting like this." Jeremy said after a while, breaking the intense silence.

"Hey, she's gonna be fine." Bonnie said.

"You don t know that." Jeremy said.

"No I don t." Bonnie said, getting up and rushing over to her purse, pulling out her grimoire and sitting on Jeremy's bed with the other two.

"What are you doing?" Jeremy asked.

"There's something else I want to try." Bonnie said.

"I don t get it." Jeremy said.

"I need a candle. Grab Elena s hairbrush." Bonnie ordered.

"Okay, yeah." Jeremy said, leaving the room in search of a candle as Shiloh grabbed Elena's brush from the bathroom and both returned to find Bonnie writing on a piece of paper.

"What s all this stuff for?" Jeremy asked.

"I know it s crazy but I might be able to get her a message." Bonnie said, crumpling the paper in her hand. She put her hand above the candle, opening it palm and closing her eyes. Jeremy grinned until he saw the drops of blood dripping from her nose.

"Bonnie? Bonnie! Bonnie! Bonnie!" Jeremy called, shaking her.

"Bonnie?! Bonnie, stop!" Shiloh said pleadingly. The paper burned and disappeared in her hand. "Bonnie?" Shiloh asked. Bonnie smiled weakly at Jeremy before falling backwards unconscious on Jeremy's bed.

"Bonnie!"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Jeremy went to get you a glass of water." Shiloh said softly as Bonnie blinked back to conscience. Bonnie didn't say anything, just looked at Shiloh blankly until Jeremy entered the room with a glass of water.

"Here, drink this." He said, handing the glass to Bonnie.

"Thanks." She said, drinking from the glass.

"What happened? You scared the hell out of us." Jeremy said.

"It's nothing." Bonnie said.

"It wasn't nothing, Bonnie." Jeremy said.

"I've been doing a lot of magic lately. It wears me down." Bonnie shrugged.

"When I m worn down, I take a nap. You were you were unconscious." Jeremy said.

"Witchcraft has its limits. If I push too hard, it pushes back." Bonnie explained briefly.

"How do you know all this?" Jeremy asked.

"It s all in here; it s like a reminder that I m not invincible. Please don t don t tell anyone." Bonnie said, her eyes darting from Shiloh to Jeremy.

"Why not?" Jeremy asked.

"Because it s a weakness and I don t want certain people to know that." Bonnie said her eyes falling on Shiloh.

"By certain people, you mean Damon." Shiloh said.

"I mean anyone that can hurt me." Bonnie said.

"Damon." Shiloh said.

"I won t tell anyone, okay? I promise." Jeremy said. Bonnie nodded gratefully, then turned back to Shiloh.

"I won't tell Damon." Shiloh said. "Or anyone else. This stays between us."

"It s hard, you know? My grams is gone and my dad, he doesn't want to know about what I am. He hasn't since my mom left. I m all alone in this." Bonnie said.

"It s how I feel a lot of the time, alone." Jeremy said, the two making eye contact.

"Do you think that worked?" Shiloh asked after a while.

"I have no idea." Bonnie said. The hours passed in relevant silence with only slightly tense moments between the girls from time to time, both of which mostly talked to Jeremy and not each other. When the sun began to set, Bonnie drifted off to sleep on Jeremy's bed as he watched over her, a small smile forming on his lips. Shiloh smiled to herself as she watched the scene.

"I'm gonna head out. Call me if you need me." Shiloh whispered.

"Shiloh, about Damon..." Jeremy said.

"Not now, Jer. We'll talk about it. Just... not now." Shiloh said, glancing at Bonnie. "You have your own romance to focus on anyway." She smirked as Jeremy blushed.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Home. I think I'll tell Caroline in the morning, so I should probably get a lot of sleep if I'm gonna be kept up for the next week listening to her ranting." Shiloh joked.

"Night, Jer."

"Night, Shy." Jeremy smiled.


	9. Chapter 9

"How do I find Klaus?" Damon asked.

"Klaus? Whose Klaus?" Shiloh asked, entering the room. "Whose she?"

"What are you doing here, Pup?" Damon asked.

"I came to check in. You didn't call... Stefan let me in on his way to school. You didn't hear that? So much for super hearing." Shiloh said.

"I was a bit distracted." Damon said, glancing at Rose.

"Hello." Shiloh greeted with a polit smile. "Are you a friend of Damon's?"

"Not exactly." Damon said.

"My name is Rose." Rose introduced herself.

"Shiloh. It's... nice to meet you?" Shiloh said unsurely.

"She and her little friend are the ones that kidnapped Elena." Damon said.

"In an attempt to save my friend. It didn't work..." Rose said sadly.

"She was planning to trade Elena's life for her friends." Damon explained.

"And she's here why?" Shiloh asked.

"You know, I've been asking myself that very question for some time now and have yet to come up with an answer." Damon said.

"I can help you. I have information." Rose said.

"So you say." Damon said. "Prove it, how do I find Klaus?"

"You don't find Klaus, he finds you." Rose stated..

"Come on. Somebody's got to know somebody who knows where he is, right?" Damon asked.

"Add another two hundred somebodies to that and you're still not even close." Rose said.

"Humor me. You got in touch with Elijah, how did you do it?" Damon asked.

"Through a very low somebody on the totem pole. A guy name Slater in Richmond." Rose answered.

"Perfect. I'll drive." Damon said.

"No. You forget not all of us can do sun." Rose said.

"Then you drive. Come on." Damon ordered.

"Wait a minute! Who the hell is Elijah? And Klaus? And why do you want to find him?" Shiloh asked.

"I'll explain on the way." Damon said, grinning at her. "And oh what a comical tale it is." He threw his arm around her and led her out of the room.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Back entrance. How convenient." Damon said as he, Rose and Shiloh stood in an underground parking lot.

"That's the point. We can't all have little daylight rings." Rose said.

"How do you know this Slater guy is even here?" Damon asked.

"I called him. He's here. He's always here." Rose said.

"Good." Damon said, pushing her against the wall. "Just one thing. If you're setting me up in any way, I will rip your heart out and shove it down your throat. It's something I'm very good at." Damon said.

"Damon!" Shiloh warned. Rose quickly pushed him off her and shoved him against the car.

"I'm older than you and stronger. Don't get on my bad side." Rose said, letting him go. "You can trust me."

"Damon, could we just _try _to keep the body toll down." Shiloh asked.

"Fine, but if she makes one wrong move-"

"Then we get out of here. No stupid fight that we can't win." Shiloh said strictly.

"You don't trust me?" Damon asked with a playful offended tone. Shiloh scoffed, rolling her eyes as she began to walk past him to enter the coffee shop. Damon quickly caught her arm, pulling her into his chest. "I will _always _protect you, Shiloh." He said, looking deeply into her eyes.

"Well, that includes protecting my heart. So make sure _you're_ okay too." Shiloh said, a smile present on her lips.

"Real cute, now can we get this started?" Rose asked, leading the couple into the coffee shop.

"Whoa. What about the sunlight?" Damon asked.

"Double paned and temped. UV rays can't penetrate. You see the appeal now?" Rose asked.

"That and the free Wi-Fi." Slater added, joining the group.

"Hey, how are you?" Rose asked, embracing him.

"Good. I saw you come, what are you doing here?" Slater asked.

"Mmm, it's a long story but I want you to meet-" Rose began.

"Damon Salvatore. Turned 1864 in Mystic Falls by Katherine Pierce aka Katerina Petrova. So I take it I was right, what I told you about the tomb under the church was true?" Slater said.

"Yes. It was right. Thank you for the tip." Rose smiled.

"I don't know you." Slater said, holding out his hand. Shiloh hesitantly took it.

"I'm-"

"She's here with me, that's all you need to know." Damon said, glaring at the other vampire.

"Right..." Slater said, taking his hand back. "It's nice to meet you, maybe. What's going on Rose? Where's Trevor?"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"And you're sure Elijah's dead?" Slater asked.

"Beyond dead." Damon said.

"Trevor was a good man; he helped me with my dissertation on sexual deviance in the Baroque period. I was schooling for my Psych PHD." Slater said.

"Slater's been in college since '74." Rose said.

"When I was turned. I have 18 degrees, 3 masters and 4 PHD's." Slater said proudly.

"The point?" Damon asked. Shiloh kicked him under the table.

"Exactly, I mean, what is the point? What should I be doing with my eternity? If you have an answer, please enlighten me." Slater said, clearly offended by Damon's behavior.

"We need your help. If someone wanted to get in touch with Klaus, how would you hook him up?" Rose asked.

"Craigslist." Slater said.

"Seriously?" Shiloh asked. "That's how you get in touch with the biggest baddest vamp of all time? I suppose you could find big foot on facebook."

"Seriously. I respond to a personal ad to get sent to somebody who knows somebody who knows Elijah, who's dead and that's where my connection ends." Slater said.

"Here's what I don't get: Elijah moved around during the day, which means the originals knew the secret of the day ring. Now why would Klaus want to lift the curse of the sun and the moon?" Damon asked.

"To keep the werewolves from lifting it. If a vampire breaks the sun curse then the werewolves are stuck with the curse of the moon forever and vice versa." Slater explained.

"But werewolves are extinct." Rose said.

"True. I've never seen one but rumor has it..." Slater began.

"Not such a rumor." Shiloh said.

"Mystic Falls? God, I've got to visit this place. It sounds awesome." Slater said. Shiloh couldn't help but chuckle lightly at Slater's geeky personality.

"Awesome doesn't even begin to describe it. Can we stop the curse from being broken at all?" Damon asked.

"What do you mean?" Slater asked.

"Well, if we make the moonstone useless, would it stop the curse from being broken?" Damon asked.

"Well, yeah, probably but why would you want to do that?" Slater asked.

"How do we do it?" Shiloh asked. "We'll probably need a witch, right?"

"You think I'm gonna help you figure out how to do something that will piss off an original? And keeping them from walking in the sun?" Slater asked.

"You want to walk in the sun? I can make that happen if you help us." Damon said. Suddenly, all the windows came crashing in on the group, sending shards of glass everywhere. Shiloh didn't have time to blink before she was standing on the far side of the coffee shop, Damon standing in front of her, blocking the glass from reaching her.

"Rose." Shiloh said, looking over his shoulder at the vampire who was curled on the floor attempting to hide her burning skin from the sun as she screeched in pain. Damon quickly made his way back to her and removed his jacket, putting it over Rose's face and helping her out of the coffee shop with Shiloh on his heels. He remained silent until he had safely placed Rose in the back of the car.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked, turning back to Shiloh and gently placing a hand on her arm.

"I'm fine. Thanks." Shiloh smiled up at him before turning back to Rose.

"You're gonna be okay." Damon told her.

"I know." Rose replied.

"Who's behind that?" Damon asked.

"I don't know. Where is Slater?" Rose asked, glancing around.

"Iowa by now. Who the hell knows?" Damon asked urgently.

"He's not behind this, he's a good guy, he wouldn't betray me." Rose said with certainty.

"Then who did that?" Shiloh asked.

"It's Klaus, don't you understand? You don't know this man, we're dead, we're all dead." Rose cried, burying her now healed face in her hands.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"What are we gonna do?" Shiloh asked, resting her head on Damon as he sipped from his drink. The pair were seated on the large couch in the Salvatore's living room in front of a crackling fire, Damon's arm wrapped around Shiloh protectively as he slowly drained the bourbon from his glass.

"I'll figure this out, pup. Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you." Damon assured.

"You really care about saving Elena." Shiloh stated.

"No. I don't. I'm only doing this because you asked me too." Damon said, running his hands through her hair absently.

"I asked you to get her back. Not take on the most powerful vampire in existence." Shiloh said.

"You want me to stop?" Damon asked.

"It's not about what I want, Damon. What's the real reason you want to help Elena? I won't be mad. No matter what it is." Shiloh said, turning her head to look up at him. "I'll understand."

"What exactly do you think the reason is?" Damon asked.

"I don't know... You did love her..." Shiloh said.

"I don't know if I did." Damon said truthfully. "I know I loved Katherine. I know I tried to make Elena my Katherine substitute and at some point it was more then that. But I don't think I ever loved her."

"Then why are you so determined to help her." Shiloh asked.

"It isn't about her. It's about Stefan. I have to make things right. I'm finally happy, after all these years, and I want him to be too." Damon said honestly.

"Watch it, you're starting to sound like the nice guy I know you are. Rose might hear." Shiloh teased.

"She's not here." Damon said, not bothering to deny her playful warning.

"I think it's good that you're trying to help Stefan." Shiloh smiled, leaning her head back on his shoulder and returning to watching the fire.

"I blame you." Damon said, giving her a small squeeze. "You're making me _nice._ Blah."

"I don't think I am. I think I'm just helping you see your true self. Now that you aren't focused on girls who are completely wrong for you, you aren't as angry." Shiloh said.

"Well, didn't know I had a psychologist as a girlfriend." Damon teased lightly. "But I'm pretty sure you have a pretty big impact on my behavior, pup."

"I hope so." Shiloh mumbled.

"Of course you do. Why would you think otherwise?" Damon asked.

"Damon." Shiloh said, looking back up at him, her big dark blue eyes exploring his icy light blue ones. "I love you."


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey, Tyler." Shiloh smiled as she greeted him, walking across the basketball court towards the school.

"Hey, Shiloh. Haven't seen you around lately." Tyler said, catching the ball he was dribbling and holding it at his hip. Shiloh slowed to a stop, standing a few feet from him.

"I know, things have been... crazy." Shiloh said. "How are you doing?"

"I know what Caroline is." Tyler blurted out.

"What?! I- what do you mean? Sh-she's not a..." Shiloh said, caught off guard.

"I know, she's not like me. But she is a... you know." Tyler said, quickly looking around to make sure no one was listening in.

"How did you know?" Shiloh asked urgently. "You can't tell anyone."

"I wouldn't tell anyone." Tyler said.

"Thanks, Ty. How much exactly do you know?" Shiloh asked carefully.

"Everything. I know what she is. What she can do." Tyler said.

"Look, Caroline mentioned... that you... Sarah." Shiloh said lamely.

"Yeah." Tyler said, dropping his eyes.

"Full moons coming up." Shiloh said, biting her lip.

"I know, I have a plan." Tyler said.

"Need any help?" Shiloh offered.

"I think I got it covered." Tyler said. "Caroline said she'd help if I needed it. At least she'll be able to get away if..."

"Okay. Let me know if you ever need anything." Shiloh said. "At all."

"I will." Tyler grinned.

"Well, I should go, I left my cell in my locker. Again." Shiloh said, heading for the school again. Once she was at her locker, she pulled out her cell phone, reading through the texts she'd missed, a few from Lexi and one from Jeremy.

_Left my phone in my locker again :P Dress shopping this weekend? -Shiloh _Shiloh hit send, sending the text to Lexi and opening Jeremy's text, replying quickly.

_Text me asap -Jeremy_

_Hey what's up? -Shiloh_ Shiloh pulled out her bag and headed back to the parking lot.

_Hell 2 the yea! C U then :) -Lexi _Shiloh smiled, slipping her phone back into her bag as she approached her bike.

_Stefan's house. -Jeremy_ Shiloh read the text as she headed down the street, pulling a quick left and heading towards the boarding house.

_Otw -Shiloh _Shiloh sent her reply, then refocused her attention on the road ahead of her. She couldn't wait to get a car. Shiloh finally appeared at the Salvatore boarding house, jumping off her bike without stopping and running at a slow pace along with it before dropping it carefully next to the house and knocking on the front door.

"Hey, Pup." Damon smirked, opening the door.

"Hey." Shiloh greeted, standing on her toes to peck his lips, then walked past him and into the house.

"You always seem to show up when somethings happening." Damon commented, walking with her into the living room where Stefan, Bonnie, and Jeremy were.

"When is something _not _happening?" Shiloh asked. "What is it this time?"

"We're getting the moon stone." Bonnie said.

"What? How?" Shiloh asked.

"I'm gonna open the tomb." Bonnie said simply.

"Are we forgetting about Katherine?" Shiloh asked, glancing from Stefan to Damon.

"Just long enough for them to get the stone and get out. Then I'll close it again." Bonnie explained.

"It'll work." Stefan assured. "We just need to be in and out. It won't take long."

"How will you get it?" Bonnie asked.

"She hasn't been feeding. She's weaker. We're not." Stefan explained. Damon pointedly raised the glass of blood he'd been drinking at Bonnie, as if to further the point.

"You wouldn't be underestimating her, would you?" Bonnie asked.

"It's a plan. Is it perfect?" Damon scoffed. "What plan is?"

" Let me do it. I've got my ring. I can get in, get out, no spells necessary." Jeremy said.

"Gee, thanks, you 16-year-old child. Why didn't we think about that? Why are you even here?" Damon asked.

"I could do it." Shiloh said. "Jeremy can give me his ring. I'll be faster and quieter and we all know it-"

"No. No, no, no, no. You are not going anywhere near the tomb." Damon disagreed immediately. "So not happening."

"Maybe I can help better the plan. Do you have anything that belongs to Katherine?" Bonnie asked. Damon gave Stefan a pointed look. Stefan sighed, leaving the room for a moment and reentering with a picture of Katherine in his hands.

"This belonged to Katherine. Found it with her things after I thought she was dead, but it was hers." Stefan said, holding the picture out to Bonnie who took it, placing it in a ceramic bowl. She dipped her fingers in a glass of water, then moved her hand over the bowl to let the water drip from her fingertips to the bowl. Flames sprung from the bowl as Bonnie closed her eyes and began to chant.

"What will this do?" Damon asked. Bonnie opened her eyes to watch the picture burn.

"I can turn the metal into ash. Blow the ashes on her, and it'll incapacitate her for a minute or two. Long enough for you to get the stone and get out." Bonnie said.

"Cool." Shiloh commented. "But... I could use that-"

"No you couldn't. Will someone get her out of here before she tries to single-handedly take on Klaus next?" Damon asked. "Why don't you go babysit your sister's little Lockwood mutt."

"Damon, I don't like the thought of you getting stuck in a tomb. Or Stefan." Shiloh said.

"They won't get stuck. I'll get them out." Bonnie said.

"We should get ready." Stefan suggested, getting up. Damon followed his lead, kissing Shiloh on the top of her head as he passed by and left the room.

"Bonnie... I'm not so sure about this." Shiloh said nervously.

"I told you, I'll get them out, Shiloh." Bonnie said.

"But what about..." Shiloh trailed off, pointing to her nose. Bonnie shook her head, pouring the ashes from the bowl onto an end table.

"It'll be fine." She said as Stefan and Damon re-entered the room with supplies for the journey.

"Still gotta get the torches." Stefan said.

"Alaric's stake gun's in my trunk. Bonnie?" Damon said.

"Go ahead. I'm almost done." Bonnie said. Stefan left, soon followed by Damon after he packed a few more things into his bag and paused at the door.

"You coming?" He asked Shiloh.

"Thought you didn't want me around?" Shiloh said.

"We both know if you don't come with me, you'll just catch a ride with Bonnie. I'd rather keep an eye on you myself." Damon said. Shiloh nodded, turning to Bonnie and putting a hand over hers.

"I'll see you soon?" Shiloh asked.

"Yeah. I'll be right behind you guys." Bonnie said, smiling back. Shiloh looked up at Jeremy with a pointed look. He nodded in understand and watched her leave with Damon.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

**"**Sorry I'm late. I had to grab the grimoire from home." Bonnie said, approaching the three.

"Where's Jeremy?" Shiloh asked.

"He said he'd be here." Bonnie shrugged. Stefan, Bonnie and Shiloh made their way down into the tomb, Damon was about to follow when his phone rung. He answered it, signaling Shiloh to keep going. Once the three made it down, Stefan dropped his bag and started rummaging through it, but stopped when he noticed something.

"What the hell?" He said, drawing the girls attention.

"Is that the moonstone?" Bonnie asked. The three hurried over to it, Stefan picking it up to examine it.

"I hate to interrupt," Katherine said, standing at the entrance to the tomb, her mouth covered in blood. "but today has just been full of surprises." She pulled Jeremy out so the others could view him.

"Jeremy!" Shiloh said, rushing towards the tomb before Stefan stopped her.

"I'm sorry. I took some powder." Jeremy mumbled.

"Don't worry, I know that he's wearing his ring, so no matter how many times I kill him, he'll just keep coming back for more. So, I'm going to be in the back playing with my new little toy." Katherine said, shoving Jeremy back into the cave. "And you guys just give me a holler when you've got the tomb open." Katherine smirked.

"Where the hell is Damon?" Stefan asked as Bonnie finished preparing the for the ritual.

"He answered a call and never came back." Shiloh shrugged, texting him again.

"We can't wait, we have to get him out of there." Bonnie said.

"She's fed, she has her strength back." Stefan said.

"We still have what's left of the ash." Bonnie said, handing Stefan the envelope with the ashes in it. "Do you think you can get close enough?"

"No. Stefan, no." Shiloh said, snatching the envelope.

"I don't have a choice." Stefan said.

"It's gonna take me some time." Bonnie said.

"How long?" Stefan asked.

"I don't know, a while." Bonnie said.

"Just get me in there as soon as you can." Stefan said, walking away.

"Katherine!" Shiloh yelled into the tomb.

"Shiloh." Bonnie said.

"Maybe we should just let her out." Shiloh said.

"I like the way she talks." Katherine smiled, reappearing at the entrance.

"She doesn't want any of us dead right? We can just let her out and get Jeremy back." Shiloh said.

"Yeah, don't you wanna help Elena's little bro?" Katherine asked Bonnie. Bonnie sighed, nodding her head once and began to chant as the flames flared up, drawing Stefan back to the tomb. Katherine grinned, dragging Jeremy back to the entrance of the tomb.

"Ohhh, something's happening." Katherine smirked.

"Bonnie, no!" Jeremy said.

"You have to stop her, she's not strong enough!" Jeremy called to Stefan.

"Maybe she is." Katherine said as the flames shot up higher. Bonnie's nose began to bleed but she continues to chant the spell. Stefan walked over to her, concerned.

"Bonnie... Bonnie..." Stefan called.

"You gotta stop her!" Jeremy said. Katherine elbowed Jeremy in the face causing him to fall to the floor.

"You need to stop. Bonnie!" Stefan said, grasping her arm. "Bonnie!" Bonnie fell to the floor, fainting. Stefan dropped with her, attempting to wake her up by shaking her. "Bonnie. Bonnie, wake up, please. Bonnie, wake up. Bonnie."

"Yes, please because I'm still in here!" Katherine said

"Are you okay? You all right?" Stefan asked when Bonnie blinked her eyes Stefan was helping Bonnie, Shiloh kept her eyes trained on Katherine who ignored her up to this point but suddenly gave her a sly grin, reaching down and pulling off Jeremy's ring roughly.

"I think I'd rather your company." She said, pulling Jeremy up to sink her teeth into his neck.

"No!" Shiloh said, grabbing Jeremy's arm and pulling him out of the tomb as Katherine grabbed Shiloh, pulling her in.

"Shiloh!" Jeremy called as he came crashing to the ground safely outside the tomb.

"Let's have fun." Katherine said, pulling Shiloh into the darkness of the tomb. "You have five minutes and we'll be back." Katherine said, pulling Shiloh further into the darkness. "You seem like a fun little playmate for me."

"Don't I get the ring?" Shiloh asked.

"Actually," Katherine said, biting her wrist. "you get something better."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Five minutes up." Katherine said, reappearing with Shiloh.

"I'm not strong enough. Even with help, I can't do it." Bonnie was saying.

"Ahhh, that's too bad, I'm still hungry." Katherine said. "Maybe I should've kept little Gilbert. But I do like the company." Katherine shrugged. "Can you get me out?"

"I-I'm trying." Bonnie said.

"That didn't sound very promising. Maybe if you had a deadline. A reason to open the tomb." Katherine said with an evil grin. She quickly grabbed Shiloh, snapping her neck in a second.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Shiloh gasped, sitting bolt upright. "Shiloh?" Stefan asked shocked.

"Stefan... what...?" Shiloh looked around, putting a hand to her throbbing neck.

"I did say I wanted the company. And now the witch has a deadline. Twenty-four hours or little Shiloh fades away. Ashes to ashes." Katherine said, retreating back into the back of the tomb.

"I'm... I'm dead?" Shiloh asked.

"Shiloh... I'm so sorry." Stefan said. "We'll figure this out."

"No. No, I'm dead. Dead." Shiloh said, tears leaking from her eyes. "I can't be... I'm 16. I'm still in high school. This can't be happening." Shiloh said, brushing the tears from her face.

"Maybe you should decide... if you want to... stay dead." Stefan said.

"I don't really have a choice." Shiloh cried. "Twenty-four hours. Bonnie can't do it. I'm gonna die, Stefan." Stefan lowered himself onto the ground next to the blond and pulled her into his arms.


	11. Chapter 11

"Stefan?!" Damon called as he approached the entrance of the tomb. Bonnie hadn't let him go with Elena the night before, apparently Stefan didn't trust him to not get himself stuck with the other two. He had been informed of what happened. Jeremy had gone on ahead of them and got himself stuck in the tomb. Shiloh tried to save him and ended up trapped. Then Stefan dove in after Katherine broke Shiloh's neck. It was the last part he still didn't believe. He had disappeared for the night, wallowing on his own but it was time he faced this. Time he proved they were all wrong. Shiloh couldn't be dead. She couldn't.

"Hey, Damon." Stefan said, already sitting at the entrance of the cave with a small blond tucked under his arm.

"Shiloh." He breathed, rushing towards the entrance.

"Don't!" She said, poking her head up.

"What the hell is going on? Bonnie said... Why are you still in the tomb?" Damon asked.

"Katherine... She... She turned me. Kinda." Shiloh said.

"Kinda?" Damon asked.

"I haven't fed on human blood yet." Shiloh said. Damon was only now realizing who pale she looked. She looked ready to pass out at any minute and her voice was strained.

"Why didn't anyone get you any human blood?" Damon asked angered.

"She'd just take it anyway." Shiloh said, shaking her head. "I don't want her any stronger than she already is."

"Bonnie's working on a way to get you out." Damon said.

"I know." Shiloh smiled.

"Where's Elena?" Stefan asked.

"Bonnie did a little witch juju and basically tombed her house. Elena can't get out.

"You trapped her in the house?" Stefan asked.

"It's for the best. Trust me. Elena is on a martyr tear that rivals your greatest hits. You should be glad the witch and I are even getting along. I brought you this." Damon said, giving the two a bag. "Care package: candles, lanterns and lunch." Damon held up a bottle filled with blood.

"Give that to us and we're just gonna have to share it with her." Stefan said, looking down at Shiloh.

"Mind giving us a second." Damon said to his brother. Stefan nodded and headed to the back of the tomb.

"Are you two gonna have a moment?" Katherine asked in a mocking voice.

"How are you holding up?" Damon asked, sitting on the ground next to Shiloh, just on the edge of the tomb.

"Alright." Shiloh smiled weakly.

"Well, if you're gonna ignore me, I might as well go play with your brother." Katherine said, following Stefan to the back of the tomb. "Not like I can't hear you anyway." She called. Damon rolled his eyes, pulling the bottle of blood back out and putting a finger to his lip to signal silence from Shiloh who nodded in reply. He filled the bottle cap with blood and put it on the edge of his phone, pushing the phone by the other end with the tip of his finger until Shiloh could just manage to use her long fingernails to pull the bottle cap to her. She hesitated only a second before downing the small amount.

"Is that enough?" She asked him.

"I think it is." Katherine grinned.

"What are you so happy about?" Damon asked defensively.

"You just turned her into a vampire. Vampires can't leave the tomb." Katherine said, giving a wicked grin.

"You mean... I could've left the tomb before?" Shiloh asked, shock written all over her pale face.

"If you tried hard enough." Katherine shrugged. "To bad. It's a little to late now. Besides, I like the company."

"Shiloh... I'm so sor-" Damon started. Stefan had reappeared, clearly overhearing the conversation.

"No. It's... fine. I'm fine. I know you'll get me out." Shiloh said, giving him a forced smile.

"I will. I promise." Damon said, his eyes full of self-hate and guilt.

"Hey, this isn't your fault." Shiloh assured. "Now go. Get us out of here." Shiloh ordered playfully.

"I didn't get a chance to say this earlier but... I love you, Shiloh Forbs." Damon said, his eyes intensely locking with Shiloh's.

"I love you too, Damon Salvatore."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Shiloh sat with her back leaned against the cave wall, attempting to push through the invisible force field keeping her in with idle fingertips, not really expecting anything when she heard Stefan gasp. She jumped to her feet and rushed to the back of the cave at vamp speed, almost falling forward from the momentum when she tried to stop. "Stefan! What happened?" Shiloh asked.

"Nothing." He said, then turned to Katherine. "Stay out of my head."

"Maybe I can do eternity in here after all." Katherine said with a smirk.

"Wait, she can get in your head?" Shiloh asked.

"In my dreams." Stefan clairafied.

"That's... totally awesome! How?" Shiloh asked.

"I'm not gonna teach you how to mess with people's dreams. At least not until I teach you to contr-"

"I'll teach you." Katherine said, smirk still firmly in tact.

"Really? Stefan, go to sleep, I wanna see if I can my you dream about pirates!" Shiloh said, nearly bouncing with energy.

"Shiloh, you should calm down. Your personality is-"

"Amplified? Yeah, I know. You gave the same speech to Caroline. So what, I was easily excited and now I'm super easily excited?" Shiloh asked.

"Everything you were as a human is now more so. Everything you tried to hide, flaws, blemishes, issues,... yourself, it's harder to hide now. You, apparently, were fun as a human, so now, you're _very _fun." Katherine explained.

"Hey, don't forget whose side she'd on. Her own. She's the reason you're here. The reason you're a vampire." Stefan said.

"Really I was looking out for you in the long run. Did you really think Damon would want you when you aged? When you were old and gray, he'd still be new. You have to live forever if you want to love forever." Katherine said.

"Stefan, why do I want to forgive her and rip her throat out at the same time?" Shiloh asked.

"You were forgiving as a human. All the things you forgave Damon for... well I guess you're like that with everyone now." Stefan said.

"And the rip her throat out part?" Shiloh asked.

"Everyone want's to rip Katherine's throat out. If they know her long enough." Stefan shrugged.

"You wanna learn the sleep thing or not?" Katherine asked.

"I..." Shiloh began, but then glanced at Stefan's disapproving expression. "I do." She said firmly. "We're gonna be in here for a while anyway, might as well have some fun before the whole lack of blood thing starts making up dead live manikins."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Caroline, my phone is gonna die in like, two seconds. Just go help Tyler. I'm fine. Stefan's here." Shiloh said.

"Are you sure-" Caroline's voice was cut of with the end of the phones charge. Shiloh sighed, replacing her phone in her pocket.

"I'm hungry." She complained. Katherine had already thought her both how to change someone's dream and how to compelle people and the three were now sitting at the back of the cave. "Couldn't Damon have brought us some food?"

"It's not food you want." Katherine said. "But why don't you call your boyfriend, get him to bring us some blood. We bonded after all, didn't we?"

"Nope. You thought me what I wanted to know. Our brief... would you call it friendship? Well, whatever, it's over now." Shiloh shrugged.

"You used me." Katherine said, shocked.

"You killed me." Shiloh countered.

"Fair enough." Katherine smirked slyly. "You know, I like the way you think."

"Maybe he should've dropped off alcohol. Or board games. Or both. What are suppose to do for the rest of eternity?" Shiloh slumped back against the cave wall.

"They'll get us out." Stefan assured her. "They're not gonna leave us here."

"They probably won't have a choice, Stefan." Shiloh said.

"Why are you so okay with this?" Stefan asked hesitantly.

"Because I have to be. If I'm not, my emotions all go all outta whack and I'll flip the switch. That's why I had to tell Damon to leave. That's why I can't stand to go out there when Caroline people drop by. When I see them, it hits me. I'll never be able to actually hang out with them anymore. I won't play any more video games with Jeremy or go shopping with Caroline or argue with Bonnie... or kiss Damon. I already miss them." Shiloh said, tears leaking from her eyes. "But I'm glad it's you I'm stuck in here with. Anyone else would be all crazy but you're just... calm." The sound of the door being opened draws the attention of the group to the entrance of the cave where a man stands waiting.

"Elijah." Katherine states, fear in her voice.

"Good evening Katerina. Thank you for having the good sense to be frightened." Elijah said. "Your release has been requested." He told Stefan and Shiloh.

"What? By who?" Stefan asked.

"The lovely Elena drives a hard bargain. However, we reached a peaceful agreement, she and I. Please." Elijah said, gesturing for Stefan and Shiloh to exit the tomb. "Come."

"We can't." Shiloh said, looking unsure.

"Yes, you can. I've had the spell lifted." Elijah said. Stefan took the lead, guiding Shiloh to follow but stay a step behind him as he walks. Once the pair made it out, Katherine rushes to get out too but Elijah blocked her path. "As for you however, you should not exit until I say so. When Klaus comes, he'll want to know exactly where you are."

"Did he just compelle her?" Shiloh asked confused.

"Indeed I did, Ms. Forbs. You two are free to go. Elena will explain the arrangement to you. If she keeps her word, I'll keep mine." Elijah said, leaving the tomb.

"Stefan, no. Please don't let him leave me in here." Katherine begged.

"Goodbye Katherine." Stefan said.

"Wait!" Shiloh said.

"What?" Stefan asked confused.

"The sun." Shiloh reminded him. "If it's still up, I'm still trapped."

"I'll go get Bonnie, I'm sure she won't mind making another daylight ring. Wait here." Stefan said.

"Hurry, please. I am in _desperate _need of a shower." Shiloh said. Stefan nodded, turned and rushed off.

"I helped you." Katherine said from the entrance of the tomb.

"Yes. You did. Thanks for the tips." Shiloh said with a smile.

"I meant the vampire thing. Don't you see how good this is?" Katherine asked.

"I..." Shiloh trailed off, glancing in the direction Stefan left.

"You do. I knew it. You might not have wanted it, but now that you have it, you _know_ it was meant to be." Katherine smirked. "I felt the same way. Trust me, you'll do just fine."

"I'm not you." Shiloh said firmly.

"No. But soon... with a little work." Katherine said slyly.

"No. I can handle this. I'll go on Stefan's diet-"

"And so it begins. You know I'm surprised _you_ weren't the doppelgänger." Katherine said. "I hope you know that means you'll be weaker. And less likely to control your urges."

"I don't care. I'll learn. I can drink from blood bags. Damon can help." Shiloh said stubbornly.

"That's a start." Katherine smirked.

"Wait, why are you trying to make me stronger?" Shiloh asked.

"Well, you certainly caught on a lot faster than expected." Katherine grinned.

"What do you want from me?" Shiloh asked.

"I'm afraid we don't have enough time." Katherine let out a dramatic sigh. "But, you could always come back with say, oh I don't know, a blood bag or two, and I might feel like talking."

"How do I know you aren't just to get the blood?" Shiloh asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You don't. But if I'm not," Katherine said. "Are you willing to risk it?"


End file.
